A Linden-based developer has proposed a 640-unit residential and retail project for Dover's Bassett Highway business district, marking the latest attempt to revitalize the struggling area after more than 20 years of failed redevelopment efforts. The Meridia 63 project would demolish the existing two-story retail strip at 90 Bassett Highway and replace it with three new buildings featuring ground-floor commercial space and up to 640 apartments.

The development includes 12,000 square feet of retail space, a park-like pathway along the Rockaway River, and parking amenities extending into the rear lot. Seventeen units would count toward Dover's state-mandated affordable housing requirements. The proposal follows a similar 350-unit plan from 2006 that was abandoned when developers determined insufficient return on investment.

Mayor James Dodd, who serves on the planning board, has championed the project as essential for generating tax revenue, noting the town faces significant budget increases in coming years. The Dover Planning Board is reviewing the application, with hearings expected to continue in April. The project still requires approval and would benefit from a 30-year tax break previously granted to incentivize redevelopment of the "area in need of rehabilitation" designated by town officials in 2019.