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Hub of historic district rises from the ashes
By DON CUDDY
Standard Times staff writer
 NEW
BEDFORD — Ten years ago, a fire raged through the
historic Corson Building, causing the roof to cave in
and leaving little more than charred beams and shattered
glass.
On the morning after the September 1997 blaze, the
structure was a blackened shell in danger of collapse,
its future anything but certain.
Yet, thanks to a sustained effort over the past decade,
the William Street building will soon begin a new
chapter in its long history, rising from the ashes to
serve as an interpretive and educational space for the
National Park Service.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., will be among the
dignitaries on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, set
for 3 p.m. May 16.
"This project really started the day after the fire when
the Waterfront Historic Area League put up the money to
stabilize it so it wouldn't be condemned. If it was torn
down, there would have been this gaping hole right in
the middle of the historic district," said Celeste
Bernardo, Whaling National Historical Park
superintendent.
The long-awaited park had become a reality less than a
year before the fire, opening in November 1996.
Originally two separate buildings, dating from 1875 and
1884 and both owned by Temple S. Corson, who made his
money in coal and shipping, the building had many uses
over the years. It last housed the Piva family's popular
Moby Dick gift shop, which featured nautical specialties
and bric-a-brac.
After the fire, the Pivas donated the building to WHALE,
which, in April 2004, passed it along to the Park
Service. The National Park had been looking for more
public meeting space within the park's boundaries, and
the restoration project began with the planning and
design phase.
Construction has been under way for the past 18 months.
It started with the erection of a structural steel frame
within the building — the massive beams arrived in the
city on seven trailers and were hoisted into place with
a 60-ton crane.
The original brick exterior now features historically
accurate windows and reconstructed storefronts, one of
which will be occupied once again by the Pivas' Moby
Dick store.
Located next to the park's visitor center, the
three-story building has a large exhibition space and a
55-seat theater on the ground floor. The featured
displays include an illustration of the global reach of
the New Bedford whaling industry. A map of the world, 14
feet wide, includes 50 of the ports most frequented by
New Bedford whaling vessels, while a huge wall map
depicts the city and its wharves as they appeared in
1876.
Considerable exhibition space is also devoted to the
successful restoration of the city's historic district
with illustrations of the many buildings that have been
saved.
"It speaks to the vision preservationists have of what
can be," Ms. Bernardo said, pointing as an example to a
picture taken in the 1970s of a dilapidated Rodman
Candleworks building, which now houses the popular
Candleworks restaurant.
"If you saw that building, you would think that no one
in their right mind would want to save it. But look at
it now. People forget that, since the late '50s, New
Bedford has been a leader nationally in historic
preservation. We are one of the first national historic
landmark districts in the country."
The second floor of the renovated building will be used
for public and educational programming and the third
floor to provide office space for park staff. Park
officials say that the $6 million restoration project,
wholly funded by the park service, should be celebrated
by all city residents.
"We want the community to come," Jennifer Gonsalves,
chief of visitor services, said. "We've had firemen
coming by already for a peek and they can't believe the
building. We want the local contractors to come to see
the fruits of their labor. This is a real celebration."
Contact Don Cuddy at
doncuddy@s-t.com
April 23, 2008
Source URL:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080423/NEWS/804230345 |
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