wbjournal.com | October 28, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 55
35th Anniversary
WBJ
of business and economic development at
MassDevelopment, said although Devens
has more than established itself, there's still
a lot of room to grow.
e current housing market has raised
the question of waiving Devens'
housing cap, which is currently set at
just 282 units. The agency is working
to add more amenities for its existing
businesses, like restaurants. And, of
course, there are always new businesses
to recruit and eventually welcome, like
Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which
cut its ribbon at Devens in February
2023 and already employs more than
500 people.
"[Devens is] totally economic
development-driven, in that Devens is
meant to encourage business to come in
and not shove it away," Arvidson said.
"That welcoming atmosphere is the
starting point."
How it works
Employment in Devens is on the rise. In
2020, the community employed more than
6,000 people, compared to nearly 5,000 in
2016 and about 3,200 in 2012, according to
a June 2020 economic development impact
report from the UMass Donahue Institute.
Devens is well-known across the country
for how it transformed a closed military
base, Arvidson said. Potential companies
come in through brokers, referral services,
Continued on next page
Meg Delorier, MassDevelopment interim
executive vice president, Devens operations
COURTESY MASSDEVELOPMENT
Left, an aerial view of the present-day Devens
community. Top, an aerial view of Fort Devens in
the 1980s.
Newly elected Gov. William F. Weld appears along with other dignitaries
at a 1991 rally to save the base.
COURTESY FORT DEVENS MUSEUM
Devens by the numbers,
fiscal year 2023
Total operating revenues:
$16.4 million
Total operating expenses:
$19.8 million
Capital activity:
$1.7 million
Property tax revenue:
$13.5 million
Source: MassDevelopment
Army Maj. Charlie Fox of the 10th
Special Forces group, the last deployable
unit to serve Fort Devens, hugs his
daughter, Meryl, after returning to base
in March 1991.
COURTESY FORT DEVENS MUSEUM | PAUL KAPTEYN
PHOTO
COURTESY MASSDEVELOPMENT
COURTESY FORT DEVENS MUSEUM
