[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6629576,"mediaKeyId","2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f","parentId",2703562,"title","Committee sends amended transfer of New Bedford Textile School to redevelopment authority with timeline and proceeds conditions","audioSeconds",1814,"startMs",1786000,"endMs",3600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f&start=1786&end=3600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f/thumbnail_1786000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6629576/New-Bedford-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Committee-sends-amended-transfer-of-New-Bedford-Textile-School-to-redevelopment-authority-with-timeline-and-proceeds-conditions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629576-362ffdb2dd025404622a68920a8776ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186405&Signature=DHK97KFGdc-66yt40-zMR64gxvAsAOoASjeh8QOTP2b0yWk-mtkx7v1v90N9opekhWLaCFG7JrpLCVgafPQICFOUODPEwm6dIG~ufRNVJIrZ1Zc6ViDrQw7CgVKacc4kRqIxhmtEf-RJsvWiMUAjAeXS7uDm1plmDL0SWMOVHXPiCi4Pr4Fo2KgUb9Ndacew2oxeNaijEbsZm71laifzdM~HomuNu-wMZaOQpSTdc7qaIRl6pw4hZNDGilBTgQgEoHX5TcPTxBTZ8wbdJu-ox9XVf5HXPjHlxh9xpcGA6lnCBCIvVdzv5tSG8F~lK3O9m~ka11nmO~6-tqSz0cyidA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Bedford","date","2025-03-19T00:00:00Z","article","The New Bedford Committee on City Property voted to refer to the full City Council an amended motion to transfer the city-owned property at 1215 Purchase Street, commonly known as the New Bedford Textile School, to the New Bedford Redevelopment Authority (NBRA) for development. The committee approved several amendments that set conditions on the transfer.

The committee first voted to offer the property for sale or lease for residential development and then voted to transfer the property to the NBRA for development. Councilors amended the transfer motion to permit mixed use on the first floor, to require that care and custody of the property revert to the City Council if the redevelopment authority does not have the property under agreement with a developer within 18 months (the property committee may extend that period upon majority vote), and to set how sale proceeds would be split: the NBRA may retain proceeds to cover its costs and 10% of the remaining proceeds; 90% of the remaining proceeds would revert to the City of New Bedford's general fund. Committee roll calls recorded the amended referral as passing 8-0.

Committee members and staff discussed key practical matters before approving the referrals and amendments. Josh Amaral, the city staff presenter on this item, described steps City staff believe would make the building more marketable: an initial building envelope assessment, laser scanning to create accurate as-built plans, targeted roof assessment and likely stabilization, abatement and cleaning removal of interior materials, and other preparatory investments. Amaral said a drone flight had been used to assess the roof and that a detailed inspection was needed to distinguish between collapsed roofing and failed drains; he provided a ballpark \"My ballpark estimate's around half a million dollars.\" for a moderate level of investment to position the building for sale and development.

Councilors expressed concern about title clarity before the NBRA invests funds. Attorney David Garatowsky, legislative council attorney, told the committee he had not completed a title exam and could not opine on specific title risks but explained that if the city did not hold clear title, a transfer would be moot; if the city does have title and a third party later claimed ownership after the NBRA had invested funds, there could be potential claims and mitigation issues the NBRA must consider. Garatowsky also advised that the committee could add conditions to a transfer, including timelines for reversion and requirements for return of proceeds above a defined threshold; councilors subsequently voted to include specific reversion and proceeds-sharing language.

Councilor discussion also covered reuse scenarios for the building and nearby Quest Center space, parking constraints in the Transit-Oriented District, and a desire among some councilors to see a short timeline for redevelopment rather than indefinite holding by the NBRA. Councilor Lopes proposed the 18-month reversion provision and led discussion on proceeds-sharing mechanics; the committee adopted his motion and two supporting amendments (mixed-use option; 18-month reversion with committee extension; proceeds split preserving NBRA costs and returning 90% of remaining proceeds to the city).

What was decided: The committee authorized offering 1215 Purchase Street for sale or lease for residential/mixed use and recommended transferring the property to the NBRA for development with the amendments described above; the matter was referred to the full City Council for approval as amended (vote recorded 8-0). Staff committed to clarifying title before any significant NBRA investment and to returning to the committee with progress reports.

Next steps: The referral and amended motion will be considered by the full City Council; staff and the NBRA will pursue title clarification, perform the recommended assessments if appropriate, and the redevelopment authority will evaluate whether to invest in stabilization and abatement work before marketing the property for sale or development.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","New Bedford - City Property Committee - Mar 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The New Bedford Committee on City Property voted to refer to full council an amended transfer of 1215 Purchase Street (the New Bedford Textile School) to the New Bedford Redevelopment Authority for development, with conditions including an 18-month reversion if no developer agreement is secured and a proceeds-sharing formula.","taxTitle","New Bedford City, Bristol County, Massachusetts","taxId",5758,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6629580,"Committee authorizes RFPs for Kempton and William H. Taylor school properties",692,973000,1665000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f&start=973&end=1665","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f/thumbnail_973000.jpg","/articles/6629580/New-Bedford-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/Committee-authorizes-RFPs-for-Kempton-and-William-H-Taylor-school-properties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629580-ba6a9a8cf3ea85a47d63c5eb8c6dd042/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186405&Signature=FZEzpUnAcdQdoDtcwEHGG2FfqRJUxQd3~-gSmQ4Si3bTNjgWhdIVoj0wldHUtFsF~5NTKY0hGEP5AN~WdiA0j8Ub6LOHPMjTRtvIG756OmeBHWTNF-Z4G94eLopaNbEW4iUPqY6UHxkEJs~YzezTEY4YdrOY44rOaSlFf4X-ItYOIkWGjXdKdQkngypNrhZrq8mkxUi7iYyLIfh6KZwgsZJD9ODKd~xboTwl4zvO1gPXlFbc~06xoHa8tn8GVR2sypkjRmcJVZ8PXLm5baCo3x5XrXlEUqs344lK5o1dpbTwc14raHJtHIYhgfJdw0jSeOsZj81KfmY2AVvxalsNkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Bedford Committee on City Property moved to offer two former school properties — the Horatio A. Kempton School at 135 Shawmut Avenue and the William H. Taylor School at 620 Brock Avenue — for disposition and development, and authorized issuing request-for-proposal (RFP) processes for each site.

The committee voted to determine both school properties \"are not currently needed for municipal purposes,\" to authorize offering them for sale or lease, and to instruct the purchasing department to issue RFPs substantially similar to the draft documents presented. The recorded committee votes on the set of motions were unanimous where recorded (motions passed 8-0 for determinations and for offering/issuance actions in committee roll calls).

City staff described the procurement approach and considerations for how the parcels might be marketed. Josh Amaral (identified in the meeting as a city staff presenter) told the committee that the administration had received interest in the properties and that the RFPs had been drafted to allow proposers flexibility. Council members discussed whether to break parcels into smaller lots or to market the whole site, with Councilor Joseph Lopes saying he believed tiered proposals could attract more interest and asking whether the administration would consider splitting a parcel if bids were not received.

Amaral said the administration had considered both approaches and that, at this stage, issuing one RFP for the entirety of each site and leaving the private sector \"matchmaking\" to pair specialists might be simpler, though staff would evaluate different procurement strategies if the RFP process returned no viable bids. Staff also said a site appraisal and departmental survey had been completed and that no city department had indicated a need to retain the properties for municipal use.

On procurement timing and performance, Amaral said scoring preferences would favor proposals that could reach site readiness quickly; the comparative evaluation criteria described proposals with shorter completion timelines as more advantageous (proposals with development team's ability to complete within 18 months scored highly; 24 months advantageous; 36 months not advantageous). He said that if a recommended proposal were selected, the developer's proposed timeline would likely be incorporated into the developer agreement and become enforceable, with remedies for default that could revert the property to the city.

Councilors asked about defining lot lines in advance and whether the city might create separate lots for easier developer interest; Amaral said procurement could define lots but that doing so could later require adjustments if developer proposals suggested different configurations.

Motions recorded in committee minutes included determinations that the properties were not currently needed for municipal purposes (8-0), authorization to offer them for lease or sale and to proceed with procurement in accordance with Chapter 30B, section 16 of the General Laws and the city code (8-0), and direction that bids received be submitted to the committee with any written recommendations from the administration.

Next steps: The purchasing department will proceed to issue RFPs substantially similar to the drafts provided; staff will score proposals using timelines and readiness as a material evaluation criterion and return recommendations and bids to the committee for selection or further action.","The Committee on City Property determined the former Horatio A. Kempton School and William H. Taylor School properties are not needed for municipal purposes, authorized offering them for sale or lease, and instructed procurement to issue RFPs substantially similar to the drafts provided to the committee.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6629585,"New Bedford committee clears way to seek proposals for advanced manufacturing campus at Whaling City Golf Course",1615,115000,1730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f&start=115&end=1730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2703562-1399435e64d4cff81cdde360a5ff807f/thumbnail_115000.jpg","/articles/6629585/New-Bedford-City/Bristol-County/Massachusetts/New-Bedford-committee-clears-way-to-seek-proposals-for-advanced-manufacturing-campus-at-Whaling-City-Golf-Course","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629585-3778e1e80ccbdb3f1c84b5a9484679f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186405&Signature=gTTX1PYPdJgPp~ok5AkgdkNdhmB7SPdriYZz~Vn-TOnWjt1X~QwXaFLojLoGO7zqFjaUOuXA~WN1Ufk7Dv70qfEkJnbj5FSx2q05Ty0637iK7rtWa~JUqcS-AR5Ss-mn2Lr2F6Dv989YCWv3Yy7sij38MhteLE6tm698Ro-AwENMyx0yFbQbvwxWG64eE0RugAesFMe9N5AEUVXIXwIWJJ9Vfwy3HCsWeqLxnlsNdtW3GojAUjrT1ASJag7a14aIAXLBZGQsH7JgMjqhqkNJ-xTc8uVcyCHniN27pO11qbLcYmO22gNJnJsRW0836JXgFwZNl5GUpCj8nrQ5lupOMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Bedford Committee on City Property voted to move forward with a request for proposals (RFP) process for roughly 95 acres of the municipally owned Whaling City Golf Course to be developed as an advanced manufacturing campus (AMC).

The committee determined that a portion of the golf course \"is not currently needed for municipal purposes,\" approved offering the parcel for lease (and later for possible sale), and authorized the city's purchasing department to issue an RFP substantially similar to the draft presented to the committee. Committee roll calls recorded the motions as approved (determination not needed for municipal purposes: 8-0; offer for lease/sale and RFP authorization: recorded votes 7-1 where noted).

Why this matters: The administration says the project is intended to grow the city's tax base and create jobs, while structuring the deal to reduce financial and operational risk to the city and preserve ongoing golf play.

City staff and the administration presented the RFP framework and timeline. Neil Mello, chief of staff for Mayor Mitchell, told the committee the administration seeks council approval to issue an RFP for the identified acreage and that the draft RFP is written to \"reduce risks to the private sector so there is interest in the property and to reduce risk to the city, both financially and operationally so we can ensure that golf play continues.\" Mello said the RFP contemplates continuation of 18-hole play at the golf course.

Mello said the administration expects a roughly 60-day submission window for the RFP, an evaluation committee that will include the ward councilor and relevant department heads, and nonbinding recommendations from the committee back to the full council. He said the hope was to have proposals in hand in time to support an application for a MassWorks grant to pay for public infrastructure such as an access road; the administration noted the MassWorks application is due June 4 and that letters of support are required for that program.

Derek Santos of the New Bedford Economic Development Council emphasized that \"the grant application requires letters of support,\" and that multiple proposers could provide letters if needed for the MassWorks submission.

Andrew Julian, a consultant with R and D Consultants, described market conditions for industrial-type uses as improving in 2025 and 2026 and said the site's transportation access and proximity to an airport make it favorable across market scenarios, while cautioning that phasing would likely be preferred to immediate large-scale construction.

The committee voted on a slate of related motions: to determine the parcel not needed for municipal purposes (passed 8-0); to authorize offering the parcel for lease (vote recorded 7-1); to authorize the purchasing department to issue the RFP under the cited city code (vote recorded 7-1); and, on a subsequent clarifying motion, to also offer the parcel for potential sale (vote recorded 7-1). Committee members discussed appraisal and departmental surveys; staff said an appraisal had been authorized and the planning department was conducting or would present appraisal information in conjunction with recommendations.

What was not decided: No developer was selected and no sale or lease agreement was executed at the meeting. The committee emphasized that issuing an RFP is not binding on the city or the committee and that the committee retains discretion to accept or reject proposals.

Next steps: Staff will proceed with the appraisal and the purchasing department will publish an RFP substantially similar to the draft presented; the administration indicated it would seek to include MassWorks grant support in parallel with the procurement process. The committee will receive and review proposals and any written recommendations from the administration.

The committee meeting on March 19, 2025, concluded without any final property disposition beyond the RFP authorization and the record of votes described above.","The Committee on City Property voted to declare a portion of the municipally owned Whaling City Golf Course not needed for municipal purposes and authorized the city to seek proposals to develop an advanced manufacturing campus; the committee also approved offering the site for lease or sale and directing an RFP process.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee sends amended transfer of New Bedford Textile School to redevelopment authority with timeline and proceeds conditions

Committee authorizes RFPs for Kempton and William H. Taylor school properties

New Bedford committee clears way to seek proposals for advanced manufacturing campus at Whaling City Golf Course