by John Osborn ·
Friday, January 9, 2026
MassDevelopment, the agency responsible for the redevelopment of Devens, has invited developers to submit proposals for new housing on nearly 70 acres of land zoned residential in Devens, all of which lie within Harvard’s historical town boundaries. The request marks the first major initiative since state lawmakers eliminated the community’s long-standing cap on new housing in the former U.S. Army base last fall.
The agency announced the two projects late Monday, Dec. 22, in a press release distributed to local officials and media. MassDevelopment is offering two sites: a 6.6-acre parcel at Adams Circle near Devens’ commercial center and a 62.7-acre tract on Grant Road adjacent to Emerson Green, one of the community’s largest residential neighborhoods. Combined, the properties could support single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, and multifamily buildings at various price points for both rental and ownership.
“Housing is a critical competitive asset for Massachusetts and essential to sustaining a strong, growing economy,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley, who chairs MassDevelopment’s board. “These sites present a real opportunity to expand housing options for the people who work in and around Devens, support employers competing for talent, and help address the region’s broader housing shortage.”
The two projects differ in their scope and complexity. The Adams Circle Request for Propsals “anticipates” that 30 to 50 new residential units can be built on the neighborhood’s 6.6 acres, while the Grant Road RFP sets no expectations, only that it will “expand the growing residential neighborhood” at Emerson Green on four parcels to be developed individually or together.
Adams Circle appears to be a smaller, turnkey project, with MassDevelopment doing much of the site preparation, including reconstruction of the roadway and provision of utilities. The Grant Road project is significantly more complex with steep slopes and changes in elevation, abandoned gas lines and asbestos cement pipes, and proximity to the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge.
Publication of the RFPs follows last November’s passage by the Legislature of the Mass Leads Act, which removed Devens’ previous 282-unit housing limit. Adams Circle and Grant Road are already zoned for residential development, allowing MassDevelopment to move forward immediately.
The legislation also established a working group that in May recommended housing also be allowed in the Innovation and Technology Center zoning district, a change to current zoning that would require the approval of Harvard, Shirley, and Ayer. The ITC district includes the abandoned quadrangle of Army housing at Vicksburg Square as well as a former bachelor officers quarters.
Devens currently has 256 residential units, consisting primarily of single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes, with 58 age-restricted units in a single complex in Shirley. An additional 84 units are already permitted, including a 46-unit multifamily rental building at Emerson Green expected to begin construction in early 2026 and 12 townhomes under construction at Adams Circle. Another 62 units are in the planning stages, bringing the total near-term housing pipeline to 402 units.
The new RFPs come amid intense regional demand for housing. According to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, 6,300 new housing units are needed over the next decade in the 22-town Montachusett region, which includes Devens. The agency reports that the region has seen median single-family home prices more than double in the past decade, while only 1.1% of units are currently available for sale or rent. MassDevelopment and the Healey-Driscoll Administration have made increasing housing in Devens a priority as the community continues to grow as both an employment center—with more than 7,600 employees across nearly 100 businesses—and a desirable place to live.
State Sen. Jamie Eldridge—who represents residents and businesses on land located within the historical town boundaries of Harvard and Ayer—said release of the RFPs was “great news.” But in a phone interview Tuesday, Eldridge said he was frustrated that the planned 46-unit apartment building on Grant Road remained “a hole in the ground.” “There really needs to be more multifamily housing and apartments for people,” he said. He noted that Devens regulations require that 25% of new construction be affordable. “While I fully support housing production, I’m also of the opinion that unless you have housing that’s restricted as affordable, too many working families won’t be able to afford [it].”
Developers have until Feb. 27 to submit proposals. MassDevelopment says it hopes to make a final selection in April. The agency says it is not obligated to select the bidder proposing the highest purchase price for the applicable parcels “and expects to prioritize proposals that best achieve the overall development objectives for the sites.” MassDevelopment is appraising the sites to determine a current valuation of the properties.
Complete RFP details for the Grant Road and Adams Circle parcels are available at www.massdevelopment.com/rfps-and-rfqs/.