A Riverfront District, Rooted in Place
Pearl Point Riverfront District is a seven-acre, mixed-use neighborhood located in the heart of downtown Biddeford, where the historic Pearl Street corridor meets the Saco River. Long shaped by industry, infrastructure, and movement, this riverfront site represents a natural next chapter in Biddeford’s evolution—one that builds on the city’s creative energy, walkability, and strong sense of community.
Designed as an extension of downtown rather than a departure from it, Pearl Point reinforces what already makes Biddeford vibrant: its working-waterfront history, its mill architecture, its emerging arts and food scene, and its deep connection to the river that powered it all.
A Connected, Mixed-Use Neighborhood
The current concept plan envisions five thoughtfully scaled buildings that bring together residential, office, retail, and restaurant uses within a cohesive district. Homes, workplaces, shops, and gathering spaces are interwoven to support daily life—encouraging people to live, work, meet, and linger within the neighborhood rather than pass through it.
At street level, active ground-floor uses, public spaces, and riverfront amenities animate the district throughout the day and evening. Above, residences and offices are designed to take advantage of light, views, and proximity to the river, the downtown core, and regional transit.
Design-focused and Experiential
Pearl Point is envisioned as a forward-thinking, design-led district that values experience as much as function. Architecture, landscape, and public realm elements work together to create a place that feels welcoming, human-scaled, and distinctly of Biddeford.
Rather than isolating development within superblocks, Pearl Point is structured around streets, paths, and shared spaces that knit the district into the surrounding city fabric.
Walkability and access
A seamless relationship
Public gathering spaces
Transit-Oriented by Design
Pearl Point is shaped by its exceptional access to regional and local transit. Located within a five-minute walk of the Saco Transportation Center—serving Amtrak Downeaster rail, regional bus service, and the Biddeford–Saco downtown circulator—the district supports a transit-oriented lifestyle that reduces car dependence and increases connectivity.
Future pedestrian and bicycle improvements, including river crossings and trail connections, further strengthen Pearl Point’s role as a regional hub that is easy to reach and easy to navigate on foot or by bike.
A Partnership with the City
Pearl Point is the result of a Joint Development Agreement between Fathom Companies and the City of Biddeford, reflecting a shared commitment to thoughtful growth, public benefit, and long-term stewardship. A comprehensive Master Plan has been completed for the site, and all entitlements for one of the parcels have already been secured—laying the groundwork for phased development that responds to community needs and market demand over time.
Public investment in adjacent infrastructure and open space, including Pearl Street Park and riverfront improvements, reinforces the district’s role as a civic asset as much as a development site.
Looking Forward
At its core, Pearl Point is about adding depth, access, and possibility to downtown Biddeford, creating a place where the river is experienced daily, where streets invite interaction, and where new uses strengthen the life of the city as a whole.
This is not a reinvention of Biddeford, but a continuation: a district designed to honor the past, serve the present, and remain flexible for what comes next.
