SMAST celebrates expansion with topping off ceremony, hardhat tours and bay views

By Auditi Guha
NEW BEDFORD — Officials from across the state talked about what a game-changer the new marine sciences expansion will be for UMass Dartmouth and the region during a topping off ceremony in the South End on Monday.
The 76,000-square-foot building will double the capacity of the School for Marine Science & Technology on South Rodney French Boulevard and create a marine campus for the state when it opens next year. It will continue to provide responsible research to support fisheries, marine life, environmental stewardship and confront issues related to climate change, officials said.
The event represented the completion of the steel framework with the unveiling of the final beam signed by several in what Dean Steven Lohrenz called “a unique partnership.”
The $55 million project is on track and and under budget, he said, thanks to the cooperation between the the UMass Building Authority (UMBA), project manager Hill International, construction manager Bond Brothers, architect Ellenzweig Associates, and the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) that will have space on the third floor.
“This building is a very eloquent statement that we are taking charge of our faith in the future. Our work in marine research and prudent stewardship of that relationship is a win-win for the environment and the students and scientists here,” said interim Chancellor Peyton R. Helm who said he hoped to be at the ribbon-cutting next year.
“Today’s milestone comes at a time when federal regulations continue to unfairly restrict our hardworking fishermen. SMAST’s commitment to developing sound science and marine data will play a major role in reducing this unfair burden,” said state Sen. Mark C. W. Montigny, D-New Bedford, in a statement. He led the legislative effort for state funding and authored the 2008 state bond bill that provided $25 million.
The new building will add to the adjacent existing one on Clark’s Cove and bring more than 150 people of SMAST and DMF together to engage in education, research and policy related to commercial fishing, coastal preservation, ocean observation and climate change.
‌‌Coastal and marine-related activities are critical to the economy and quality of life for the commonwealth and many in the state and beyond don’t realize the crucial role SMAST and the nation’s top fishing port plays, officials said.
“The advancements that will be achieved here will benefit our economy and enhance our quality of life,” said Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral, D-New Bedford.
The project is another example of the unprecedented investment being made in the peninsula, like the new Taylor and Hannigan schools, the South End Public Safety Center being developed and the Harbor Walk and Cove Walk projects on the hurricane barrier, said Mayor Jon Mitchell.
“This facility, its growth and success are a big part of our metropolitan economy,” he said.
More than 70 people attended, including state officials from Mass. Fish and Game, UMBA, and SMAST founding dean Brian Rothschild.
Many of them were given a hardhat tour of the building that commands a striking view of Buzzards Bay.
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