The city’s connections to modern transportation infrastructure, including MBTA and Amtrak rail and I-495, have led to the emergence of new industries and a rejuvenated mixed-use downtown. On the banks of the Merrimac River in northeastern Massachusetts, Haverhill has been a leader in industries ranging from shipbuilding to shoemaking. A former paper and GE manufacturing center, the city is home to Fitchburg State College and a rejuvenated mixed-use downtown. The Fitchburg rail line once linked Boston to Albany with trains running through the Hoosac Tunnel. In north central Mass., not far from the New Hampshire border, Fitchburg sits in the heart of the Wachusett Valley. Along with many other immigrants groups, Fall River’s Lusophones give the city rich cultural traditions. More than half the city’s population traces their ancestry back to the Azorean islands of Portugal. On the south coast 15 miles from Providence, Fall River has deep roots in textiles, an industry in which it was once a leading center. Now known as the City of Champions, after native boxers Rocky Marciano and “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, Brockton has been recognized recently for outstanding results in urban education. Located 20 miles south of Boston, Brockton was once the nation’s largest shoe producer. The Legislature defines 26 Gateway Cities in the Commonwealth, which are Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, New Bedford, Peabody, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield, Taunton, Westfield, and Worcester. These trends position Gateway Cities to once again serve as engines driving growth in regional economies across the Commonwealth. Demand for walkable neighborhoods is rising and the small entrepreneurial businesses that fuel job creation in today’s economy are increasingly seeking out urban innovative environments. These include existing infrastructure and strong connections to transportation networks, museums, hospitals, universities and other major institutions, disproportionately young and underutilized workers, and perhaps above all, authentic urban fabric.Ĭhanging social and economic forces open up new opportunities for Gateway Cities to leverage these untapped assets. While Gateway Cities face stubborn social and economic challenges as a result, they retain many assets with unrealized potential. Lacking resources and capacity to rebuild and reposition, Gateway Cities have been slow to draw new economy investment. Over the past several decades, manufacturing jobs slowly disappeared. For generations, these communities were home to industry that offered residents good jobs and a “gateway” to the American Dream.
Gateway Cities are midsize urban centers that anchor regional economies around the state.
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