New Bedford’s Newest Downtown Housing Development Has Ribbon Cutting

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — The ribbon was officially cut today on New Bedford’s newest housing opportunity in one of downtown’s most visible locations.

Mayor Jon Mitchell, the Lafrance family, and other state and local officials gathered this morning to celebrate the opening of the Eighteen & Union housing development at the corner of Union Street and Route 18.

The City said funding for the project came from a mix of public and private sources, including a total of $2.85 million from the City’s Housing Expansion Initiative and Vacant or Abandoned Property Rehabilitation Program (funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA), state and federal tax credits, and private investments from Lafrance Hospitality and BayCoast Bank.

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What They're Saying About the Project

“Eighteen & Union is the latest example of the City successfully utilizing federal funds and other tools to spur the transformation of underutilized and vacant buildings into new housing units,” Mitchell said. “This building will serve as the front porch of the downtown, greeting residents and visitors crossing over from the waterfront.”

Lafrance Hospitality co-CEO Sean Lafrance said the project “stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and community revitalization.”

“This achievement would not have been possible without the support of the City of New Bedford and Mayor Jon Mitchell, Carl Taber and BayCoast Bank, Jay Lanagan of Lanagan & Co., and D.F. Pray,” he said. “Lafrance Hospitality Company is deeply grateful for their partnership and commitment to bringing new life to these three historic buildings. Together, we are creating a vibrant future for New Bedford.”

Preserving New Bedford's History With a Brighter Future

In a release, the City of New Bedford pointed out that the wood-frame building previously owned by Beckman Marine Supply at 13-19 Commercial Street is “one of the oldest buildings in the historic district.” Also included in the project is the granite building at 21-35 Commercial Street, which was Beckman’s home until 2021.

“The wood and granite were restored during construction to preserve the historic aesthetic of the district,” the City said.

The National Club building at the corner of Union Street and Front Street is also part of the project, and after a decade of sitting vacant will open as an upscale Mexican restaurant in Spring 2025.

Other Downtown New Bedford Housing Projects on the Way

The City pointed out in a release that Eighteen & Union is “one of several new downtown housing projects in various stages of development.”

Others include a five-story mixed commercial/residential building “nearing completion” at 117 Union Street; Lafrance Hospitality’s $8 million rehabilitation at 89 N. Water Street into Elmwater Landing apartments; the five-story 10th@8th Apartments building at the former RMV site at 278 Union Street; and a new commercial/residential building at the former Keystone Building at 193-197 Union Street.