Mariano touts South Shore growth amid economic uncertainty

As economic uncertainty continues to shape the Commonwealth, Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano pointed to long-term infrastructure investments and redevelopment projects as key drivers of economic growth on the South Shore.

Speaking at an 8:44 Breakfast meeting attended by business and civic leaders, Mariano focused on redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, regional water infrastructure and how those efforts could reshape the local economy despite broader fiscal challenges.

The event was hosted by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce as part of its IMPACT South Shore series, which focuses on economic and policy issues shaping the region’s communities and business climate. The breakfast brought together local officials, business leaders and residents for a discussion on regional growth and long-term planning.

Mariano’s remarks touched on issues central to the chamber’s economic focus, including redevelopment at Union Point, infrastructure investment, energy policy and affordability challenges facing Massachusetts. The conversation offered attendees a chance to hear directly from one of the state’s most influential lawmakers while engaging with peers from across the South Shore.

Mariano said decades of planning following the base’s closure are now yielding tangible economic results across multiple South Shore communities.

“We had a small group of 35 citizens meeting twice a month to plan the redevelopment of the base in three different towns with three different zoning requirements, three different forms of government,” Mariano said. 

He said progress is now visible, with permits in place for thousands of housing units and infrastructure to support future commercial development.

“The permits for construction housing for at least 3,000 units are in place,” Mariano said. “The water is in place to expand this to full capacity. We need water for another 3,000 homes to bring us up to about 6,000 homes and the commercial development that’ll be in the focus of the base.”

Mariano described the redevelopment as a major economic asset for the region, noting its impact goes beyond housing to job creation and long-term commercial growth.

“We are in a positive place where we’re up to make some big announcements,” he said. “And I think it is a real, real bonus and a real input to the economy of the South Shore.”

A major factor in that growth, Mariano said, is expanded water access, which he described as essential for unlocking stalled development across multiple communities.

“We’ve created a water system which is superior to none in the United States and we did it without any federal help,” Mariano said.

He said extending water access beyond Quincy and Weymouth could change development prospects for communities further south.

“When we hit Weymouth and we will hit Weymouth, going beyond Weymouth then is a minor jump,” Mariano said. “Getting water to Brockton, a city that was in a consent decree for years and couldn’t build because they had no access to water, is a possibility and it’s on the horizon. And with it comes economic development.”

Mariano pointed to visible changes in Weymouth as an early example of how infrastructure investment translates into economic activity.

“You’re seeing development, you’re seeing building, you’re seeing people living there,” he said. “You’re seeing activities in the sports fields. You’re seeing all sorts of signs of life in a really well thought out, well established community.”

Despite those gains, Mariano acknowledged the broader economic climate remains difficult for residents and state leaders alike.

“The economy stinks,” he said. “You see it every day. The headlines have people so confused. People don’t know what’s going to happen.”

He said uncertainty at the federal level has complicated long-term planning and budgeting in Massachusetts.

Mariano also connected economic development to the state’s growing energy demands, particularly as data centers and life sciences continue to expand.

“The demand for power is just beginning,” he said. “It is a huge drain that will be coming as computer sciences begin to expand along with the research stuff that we’re doing in life sciences.”

He said state leaders are struggling to balance sustainability goals with affordability for residents and businesses.

Despite the challenges facing the state economy, Mariano said he remains optimistic about the South Shore’s long-term outlook, pointing to collaboration between state leaders, municipalities and business groups as a key reason for continued progress.

Mariano said partnerships with organizations like the South Shore Chamber of Commerce have helped move complex projects forward, even when consensus took time.

“The chamber brought a lot of these folks along, but they got there and we were able to get it done,” he said.

As redevelopment continues at Union Point and regional infrastructure expands, Mariano said the South Shore is positioned to benefit from investments that were years in the making.