Blackstone Gateway Visitor Center and Pedestrian Bridge

Connecting Heritage and Community: Innovative Multi-Use Facility Bridges History and Ecology

DOC worked with MassDOT on the construction of a new multi-use facility that houses the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Region Headquarters. The 11,000-square-foot facility has a visitor’s welcome area, as well as exhibition, instructional and presentation space.

Throughout, the building and site incorporate a wide range of materials recycled and reclaimed from other deconstructed mill buildings in the area, including the timber flooring and exterior bricks.

A key feature of the project is the new historic truss style pedestrian bridge, connecting the new Visitor Center to the Blackstone Bike Path.

Located on a 4.5-acre site, the landscape design focused creating a more integrated visitor experience. This allows a larger and more diverse set of public programs, community events and special happenings to take place.

A large, grassy lawn contains a support station for bicyclists and the new pedestrian bridge over the Blackstone River invites visitors to engage with the river and the associated ecology. The large lawn also caps the contaminated soils below allowing for safe public use of the area. With its location at a major entry point to the city, the visitor center has become a gateway and source of pride for local residents.

Project Highlights

• The building and site incorporate a wide range of materials recycled and reclaimed from other deconstructed mill buildings in the area, including the timber flooring and exterior bricks.