Mayor Mitchell Tours Progress of New Downtown Hotel

NEW BEDFORD - Construction on New Bedford's newest hotel is progressing.

The New Bedford Harbor Hotel, at the corner of Union and Pleasant Streets, is undergoing a $10 million renovation by the Columbus Group.

Mayor Jon Mitchell toured the ongoing renovations Monday with Columbus Group property manager Arthur DeMello. Mitchell says the project is not only on budget, but is projected to be complete on time for New Bedford's annual tourism spike.

"By next summer people are going to be staying here," said Mitchell. "And that's going to bring a lot of life to this part of the downtown. We're trying to push development up into the West End. Ultimately, we're going to see a Union Street that is knitted to the West End and knitted to the State Pier."

The hotel will feature at least 68 rooms, complete with smart televisions and WiFi. A restaurant, banquet room, and a workout space will fill out the lower floors of the hotel, which is expected to accommodate up to 35 jobs. Valet parking will also be available.