NEW BEDFORD — Today, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba were joined by Mayor Jon Mitchell and other state and local officials to announce a $2.5 million award through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to support upgrades to utility infrastructure and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle accommodations along a segment of West Rodney French Boulevard.  In addition, the grant will fund the installation of traffic signal equipment at the intersection of West Rodney French Boulevard and Brock Avenue.  The improvements will provide direct support for current and planned residential and commercial properties, including the $40 million planned redevelopment of the adjacent Kilburn Mill #2 for 189 units of mixed-rate housing, and the ongoing redevelopment for commercial uses at Kilburn Mill #1.    Also today, the Baker-Polito Administration celebrated New Bedford’s $75,000 Urban Agenda award that will fund a post-COVID 19 Master Planning process to reassess past and future goals and priorities through an inclusive and community-driven process.    “We are pleased to partner with New Bedford to support significant upgrades to public infrastructure that will have transformative effects along West Rodney French Boulevard,” said Governor Charlie Baker.  “Through the MassWorks program, our Administration is pleased to continue supporting locally driven plans that unlock new opportunities for economic development as well as more housing.”   “New Bedford’s MassWorks award will directly support important improvements that will make West Rodney French Boulevard safer and function more efficiently for all modes of transportation,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.  “In addition, this investment will open the door to significant private investment, leading to new, needed housing.”   New Bedford’s MassWorks award will support the revitalization of West Rodney French Boulevard, the gateway to Clark’s Point, by creating a pedestrian-friendly district in the heart of a neighborhood that is comprised of a mix of recreational, commercial, and cultural activities with open spaces and places to live. Improvements will support 189 units of mixed-rate housing planned as part of the redevelopment of the adjacent Kilburn Mill #2 as well as ongoing redevelopment of the commercial-use Kilburn Mill #1.    Both MassWorks and the Urban Agenda Grant program are included in the Community One Stop for Growth platform, a single application portal and collaborative review process of grant programs launched in January 2021 that make targeted investments based on a development continuum.   Separate from the city’s awards, applications from two New Bedford-based organizations also resulted in awards from the Community One Stop: the non-profit Verdean Veterans Memorial Foundation received $285,000 to fund accessibility and building code improvements at the property located at 561 Purchase Street, and the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts received $775,000 to fund plans to rehabilitate the former Capitol Theater at 1418-1440 Acushnet Avenue to house a range of human services, community development programs, small business incubator space, workforce development programs, legal and financial services, and a neighborhood resilience hub on the first floor, as well as affordable housing units on the second floor. Both of these projects received a grant through the Underutilized Properties Program.   With the addition of this year’s round of MassWorks awards, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded 326 MassWorks grants to 181 communities and has invested over $608 million in public infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth. These grants have directly supported the creation of 21,000 new housing units and tens of thousands of new construction and permanent jobs, while also leveraging over $13 billion in private investment. 

Including MassWorks grants, the Community One Stop for Growth program awarded $88 million for 196 projects in 122 communities across the Commonwealth in its first year.  Of the 196 projects awarded, nearly one-third were located in a rural or small town, half were located in a Housing Choice Community, and one-third were located in a Gateway City.   “We created the One Stop to offer access to a wide variety of programs through a single, streamlined process that ensures that valuable funds can be directed more effectively, to more communities, in less time,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy.  “The One Stop gives communities and other partners the opportunity to work collaboratively with us, to pursue multiple projects simultaneously and to meet their economic development goals. New Bedford has demonstrated how applicants can be creative with grant funding to maximize the impact of state investments in transformative projects.  While the first year of the One Stop has shown tremendous promise, the demand for our programs demonstrates that we can do more.”    “As designed, the One Stop and MassWorks programs enhance access to important resources and programs, which in turn allows communities to better overcome traditional barriers to economic and community development initiatives,” said Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba. “I want to congratulate New Bedford on their awards, and look forward to many more communities replicating their success in the future.”

“This project builds on recent public investments nearby that are driving economic growth and elevating the quality of life on the Peninsula," said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell. "We appreciate the willingness of the Baker-Polito Administration to support projects like these that build on one of the City’s core strengths, namely its connection to the water.”   “This award is a significant state investment to revitalize our burgeoning South End alongside the picturesque Clark’s Cove,” said Senator Mark Montigny.  “We will continue to advocate aggressively for these funds and thank the Baker Administration for their support.”   "The West Rodney French Boulevard project, renovating the Cape Verdean Vets Hall and the Capitol Theater building for the Community Economic Development Corporation, and building up the Kilburn Mill for mixed-use development will revitalize the South End and create lasting impacts on the economic development of New Bedford by increasing livability and providing greater accessibility to businesses, recreational activities, community hubs, and so much more,” said Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral. “These MassWorks awards recognize that New Bedford’s vitality is fueled by local people in our neighborhoods. Thank you!”   “We on the South Coast are excited for the implementation of these developments along West Rodney French Boulevard,” said Representative Paul Schmid, III.  “The pedestrian improvements in particular will make great strides at improving long term accessibility.”

The full list of this year’s MassWorks grant recipients can be found here.

###