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The Zoning Board of Review cleared the way last week for two major housing projects and one mixed-use plan that will add another 851 units of market-rate housing in the city, including the conversion of a former Catholic church.

Along the banks of the Taunton River, Fall River is characterized by its picturesque waterfront and diverse cultural offerings, including a robust Portuguese community. A revitalized downtown, affordability and potential for growth make it hard to resist.

The majestic, albeit ailing Bank Street Armory once housed a volunteer militia, the National Guard and the Greater Fall River Re-Creation among its tenants before it was shuttered by the city building inspector in April 2015. Now a local developer with a track record of transforming old city buildings is eying the castle-like structure for redevelopment into 37 market-rate apartments or possibly a mixed-rate project with 20% of the units deemed affordable.

Mayor Paul Coogan delivered his fourth State of the City address on Tuesday at Government Center before a joint session of the City Council and School Committee, framing the city as one of “energy, hope and unprecedented growth.”

After sitting idle for 14 years with a broken promise to redevelop the property, the sale of the 117-year-old former Lincoln Elementary School on Pine Street is expected to be completed within a week with plans to convert it into 24 market-rate apartments.

Now that the Route 79 expressway reconstruction project has officially broken ground, one of the first things to be broken will be the Route 79 expressway itself, with the highway scheduled to be closed for good sometime in February.

The much-anticipated $135 million Route 79 and Davol Street Corridor Improvement project is officially underway with a ceremonial groundbreaking led by outgoing Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and other state and local leaders at the City Pier on Wednesday.

Maura Healey is getting help from several leaders on the SouthCoast as she prepares her transition from attorney general to governor.

Cars wrapped around the building and the restaurant overflowed with customers as the city’s first Chick-fil-A location opened on Wednesday.