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National development firms see value and opportunity
in the City
High-profile developers eye mill site
Company renovating Fenway among those showing interest
By Jack Spillane, Standard-Times staff writer
NEW BEDFORD — From the company renovating Fenway Park to
a major builder redeveloping a Maine zoo, the would-be
owners of the former Fairhaven Mills are circling the
city's waterfront.
Some 28 parties have taken out proposals for the city
properties at the long-controversial mill site,
including prominent developers from Baltimore, Boston
and Springfield.
Also requesting applications are an assortment of
environmental cleanup specialists, real estate agents,
nonprofit groups and community members, some of them
talking about teaming up with the developers.
A well-known Baltimore-based developer is among those
considering going after the long-troubled Acushnet River
site. Struever Brothers, Eccles & Rouse has done several
mixed-use residential/commercial projects in the
much-praised development of the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Struever is also the program manager for the ongoing
$100 million Fenway renovation.
Hunter Interests, a professional planning agency that
has done studies for cities across the country, took out
an application. Among the clients Hunter has provided
planning analyses for are the Detroit suburbs,
Arlington, Va., and the city of New Bedford (for a
possible aquarium and rail/bus depot.)
One big developer everyone is playing close attention to
is Berkshire Development LLC of Springfield.
Berkshire — which two months ago purchased an option
from John J. Meldon on the only remaining large mill
still standing — has begun testing the contaminated soil
at the 6.4 acres that make up the city's portion of the
former mill site. The Springfield company has talked
about building a retail center and entertainment venue
at the site of Wild Kingdom in York, Maine.
The Fairhaven Mills site is located just north of
Interstate 195 and, along with the Hicks-Logan area
south of the highway, is the city's prime focus for
large-scale development and urban renewal.
Though several of the parties taking requests for
proposals declined to say whether they will go forward
with an application, Berkshire Development said it will
definitely make a pitch for the city's three
tax-foreclosed properties.
"I think we're going to have a pretty exciting project
to put on the table," said Timothy J. Traynor, a senior
vice president with the company.
He would not provide details — or say whether the
envisioned project would be retail, commercial,
residential or some combination. He did say it will
include something that includes public use of the
riverfront.
"What we're going to try to do is try to strike a nice
balance there," he said.
Matthew Morrissey, the executive director of the New
Bedford Economic Development Council, told a group of 10
or so interested parties attending a city briefing on
the hoped-for development yesterday the city wants a
boathouse for rowing crews on the river. The Acushnet
River has the best water for crewing in the Northeast,
he said.
"We think that could be a catalytic driver for tourism,"
he said.
Every city department head who deals with land use
issues attended the briefing, and City Planner David
Kennedy told the gathering the city staff is anxious to
assist the developers.
He also alerted the group to the city's desire to
develop the other side of Interstate 195, a larger
95-acre site.
The sites north and south of the highway are now being
called the Hicks-Logan-Sawyer-Coggeshall district, Mr.
Kennedy said.
"It's by far the most important piece of property to be
developed in the city," he said.
Mayor Scott W. Lang said he was happy with the response
to the request for proposals.
"I'm excited by the number of individuals and companies
that accepted documents and indicated they have some
enthusiasm for the project," he said.
The current RFP process is the second in two years for
the Fairhaven Mills site.
When he became mayor in January, Mayor Lang referred the
previous project — a proposal to build a Home Depot at
the site — to the state inspector general.
Inspector General Gregory Sullivan concluded it was "a
sham" process designed to reward former City Solicitor
George Leontire.
Mr. Leontire, a former adviser to Mayor Frederick M.
Kalisz Jr., has vehemently denied the charge. He has
said that over the past 30 years there was little
interest in developing the property, which has housed
some small manufacturing, storage and retail activities.
Robert Rubenkonig, director of corporate communications
for Struever Brothers, said the company's Providence
office believes New Bedford is a great place to examine
development possibilities. He described the city has
having a great stack of buildings and "terrific
leadership."
"We're looking at it very seriously," he said.
Contact Jack Spillane at
jspillane@s-t.com
Date of Publication: December 01, 2006 on Page A07 |
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