DOVER — Deputy City Manager Chris Parker is offering a vision for the future of the large Liberty Mutual property off Sixth Street, which has been marketed for sale since last year. He sees potential for "residential, service, eating and drinking, manufacturing or assembly uses."
Parker wrote "the sky's the limit" for the property in a recent city email newsletter, and he spoke in more detail in an interview for this story. He made clear a redevelopment project that goes beyond exclusively office space would be ideal.
"We would like to see something like what was created at Pointe Place," Parker said, citing a successful development off Dover Point Road. "It is a wonderful mixed-use development. It is almost a small replica of downtown. There are townhouses, single family homes, and assisted living facility, places to shop and to eat. It is a carefully planned development, a walkable area. The Liberty Mutual properties can offer the same type of careful planning that benefits everyone, them the city and the people who end up there."
Liberty Mutual cited a COVID-19 pandemic trend of employees working from home when it announced in January 2023 it was leaving Dover and consolidating its local offices in Portsmouth.
The two Dover buildings listed for sale total 585,000 square feet on approximately 222 acres of land, according to the marketing sheet from Cushman & Wakefield. Dover East is 235,000 square feet and Dover West is 350,000.
The marketing sheet touts the properties for sale as being located a half mile from the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16), and 1.5 miles from downtown Dover via Sixth Street, as well as accessible from Boston via the Amtrak Downeaster and via C&J Bus in Dover.
Lincoln Financial is leasing a portion of one office building at this time, according to Parker.
Dover wants 'to be involved' with redevelopment of Liberty Mutual site
Parker said the city is not privy to Liberty Mutual's plans, or the asking price for the property, because they did not sign a non-disclosure agreement.
"We have said we would like to be involved," Parker said. "No one here signed this (disclosure agreement) in the interest of being transparent, which is our duty."
Parker has said city staff met with Liberty Mutual officials several times since May 2023. The property went on the market in September 2023.
"The last time we had a conversation with them, was in May (2024)," Parker said. "They told us there were a couple of potential buyers but did not tell us the price discussed. My understanding is that they are not looking to develop the property themselves, but are looking to sell to a developer. We are hoping we can work together, that it creates a positive opportunity."
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Liberty Mutual spokesperson Glenn Greenberg said the company is not commenting on the "status or process" of the sale at this time.
Parker has acknowledged the costs for a developer to purchase the Liberty Mutual buildings and renovate them for other uses, or demolish and rebuild on the site, make it a financially challenging project.
He remains optimistic and said 'ideas also include elderly care, attainable housing, hotel or conference center, residential towers, schools, shelter, and removing a floor in one of the buildings to create a manufacturing hub."
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover's vision for Liberty Mutual site: Homes, restaurants and more. Will it happen?
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