NOTE: THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED AND RECORDED. CITY COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS CAN BE VIEWED ON THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD’S HOMEPAGE UNDER QUICK LINKS, THEN MEETINGS.
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. COMMUNICATION, Councillor Giesta, submitting a letter from Blair Bailey, General Counsel for the New Bedford Port Authority, regarding the Port Authority’s vote to sell the real property known and numbered as 276 MacArthur Drive, incorporating New Bedford Assessors Map 59, Lots 170, 171, 173, 149 and 217. (Matter ID #1582) (Referred – September 25, 2025.)
INVITEES: Blair Bailey, General Counsel, New Bedford Port Authority; Gordon Carr, Executive Director, New Bedford Port Authority; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Representative, Mayor’s Office
2. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS for the disposition and development of the former Police Station #2, located at 170 Cove Street; The New Bedford Armory located at 989 Pleasant Street; the former Phillips Avenue School located at 249 Phillips Avenue; the former Horatio A. Kempton School located at 135 Shawmut Avenue and the former William H. Taylor School located at 620 Brock Avenue. (Matter ID #0611) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
2a. RFP – former Police Station #2, located at 170 Cove Street. (Matter ID #0612) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
2b. RFP – New Bedford Armory located at 989 Pleasant Street. (Matter ID #0613) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
2c. RFP – former Phillips Avenue School located at 249 Phillips Avenue. (Matter ID #0614) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
2d. RFP – former Horatio A. Kempton School located at 135 Shawmut Avenue. (Matter ID #0615) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
2e. RFP – former William H. Taylor School located at 620 Brock Avenue. (Matter ID #0616) (Referred – May 12, 2026.)
INVITEES: Joshua Amaral, Director, Office of Housing and Community Development; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Molly Gilfeather Rodriguez, Purchasing Director; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Representative, Mayor’s Office
3. COMMUNICATION, Molly Gilfeather Rodriguez, Chief Procurement Officer, City of New Bedford, to Councillor Shawn Oliver, Chair, City Property Committee, submitting PROPOSALS in response to the City’s Request for Proposals for the disposition of Fire Stations #3 and #11; the proposals were evaluated by a committee of three representatives from the City’s Office of Housing and Community Development, who unanimously recommend the award of Fire Station #3 to South Coast Investments, Inc. and Fire Station #11 to Gwozdz Development. (Received – May 11, 2026.)
3a. PROPOSAL, submitted by South Coast Investments, Inc., for the development of Fire Station #3, located at 834 Kempton Street. (Received – May 11, 2026.)
3b. PROPOSAL, submitted by Divine Contractors, Inc. / Freedom Realty Group, for the development of Fire Station #3, located at 834 Kempton Street. (Received – May 11, 2026.)
3c. PROPOSAL, submitted by Gwozdz Development, for the development of Fire Station #11, located at 754 Brock Avenue. (Received – May 11, 2026.)
3d. PROPOSAL, submitted by Divine Contractors, Inc. / Freedom Realty Group, for the development of Fire Station #11, located at 754 Brock Avenue. (Received – May 11, 2026.)
INVITEES: Joshua Amaral, Director, Office of Housing and Community Development; Atty. David Gerwatowski, Legal Counsel; Molly Gilfeather Rodriguez, Purchasing Director; Atty. Eric Jaikes, City Solicitor; Representative, Divine Contractors, Inc. / Freedom Realty Group; Representative, Gwozdz Development; Representative, South Coast Investments, Inc.; Representative, Mayor’s Office
Chair Suggests 'Waive Reading', 'No Further Action' and 'Report Out to the Full City Council'
4. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting AN ORDER and a fifteen-year LEASE AGREEMENT between the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission d/b/a New Bedford Port Authority and the Massachusetts Clean Energy for a parcel of undeveloped land on MacArthur Drive across from the Fairfield Inn. (Matter ID #1548) (Referred – September 26, 2024.)
4a. AN ORDER, (Matter ID #1549) (Referred – September 26, 2024.)
4b. GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT, City of New Bedford acting by and through the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission d/b/a New Bedford Port Authority as Landlord and Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center as Tenant. (Matter ID #1550) (Referred – September 26, 2024.)
5. COMMUNICATION, Councillors Giesta and Morad, submitting a copy of a Communication/Email from the Honorable Richard T. Moses, in opposition to the fifteen-year Extended Lease Proposal for the Homers Wharf parking lot to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. (Matter ID #2035) (Referred – November 26, 2024.)
6. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting two REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS (DRAFTS), for the disposition and development of the former Horatio A. Kempton School, located at 135 Shawmut Avenue, and the former William H. Taylor School, located at 620 Brock Avenue. (Matter ID #2077) (Referred – December 12, 2024.) (February 12, 2025 – tabled) (March 19, 2025 – Remain in Committee)
6a. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, (DRAFT), for the disposition and development of the former Horatio A. Kempton School, located at 135 Shawmut Avenue. (Matter ID #2078) (Referred – December 12, 2024.) (February 12, 2025 – VOTE: send a communication to all department heads inquiring if the property is needed for municipal purposes; tabled) (February 13, 2025 – communication sent to all department heads inquiring if there was a need for the property; no response received indicating a need.) (March 19, 2025 – VOTE: To determine that the property is not needed for municipal purposes; VOTE: That the City offer the property for lease or sale; VOTE: That the Purchasing Dept. proceed with issuing the RFP; Remain in Committee.)
6b. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, (DRAFT), for the disposition and development of the former William H. Taylor School, located at 620 Brock Avenue. (Matter ID #2079) (Referred – December 12, 2024.) (February 12, 2025 – VOTE: send a communication to all department heads inquiring if the property is needed for municipal purposes; tabled) (February 13, 2025 – communication sent to all department heads inquiring if there was a need for the property; no response received indicating a need.) (March 19, 2025 – VOTE: To determine that the property is not needed for municipal purposes; VOTE: That the City offer the property for lease or sale; VOTE: That the Purchasing Dept. proceed with issuing the RFP; Remain in Committee.)
7. COMMUNICATION, Councillors Giesta and Morad, submitting a PETITION of opposition relating to the 15 year lease agreement of the Homer’s Wharf parking area to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. (Matter ID #0023) (Referred – January 09, 2025.)
8. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Carney, Abreu and Giesta, requesting that City Solicitor Eric Jaikes appear before the Committee on City Property to explain the delay with the Purchase and Sale Agreements, which were awarded to Gwozdz Development, Inc., South Coast Investments, Inc., and Historic Built, for Fire Station #3, located at 834 Kempton Street, Fire Station #11, located at 754 Brock Avenue and Police Station #2 located at 170 Cove Street. (Matter ID #1258) (Referred – July 17, 2025) (July 30, 2025 – RELATED MOTION requesting the issuance of a new RFP for Fire Station #3 and Fire Station #11 with the reverter clause removed; RELATED MOTION requesting that Atty. Jaikes reissue the Purchase and Sales Agreement to award the bid winner of Police Station #2; Remains in Committee.)
9. RELATED MOTION, Councillors Pereira and Gomes, requesting, the issuance of a new RFP for Fire Station #3 and Fire Station #11 with the reverter clause removed, except for a Purchase and Sales Agreement regarding the securing of financing, contingent upon the withdrawal of the bids by the awardees; and further, that the Purchasing Department expedite said process as quickly as lawfully allowed. (Referred from Committee – July 30, 2025.)
10. RELATED MOTION, Councillors Morad and Lopes, requesting that the Committee on City Property instruct Atty. Jaikes to immediately issue the Purchase and Sales Agreement to award the bid winner (Ravi Parmar, Historic Built) of Police Station #2, located at 170 Cove Road, per the conditions of the original RFP. (Referred from Committee – July 30, 2025.)
11. COMMUNICATION, Ravi Parmar of Historic Built emailed City Solicitor Jaikes regarding the clawback/reverter provision in the RFP for Police Station #2 on Cove Road. Mr. Parmar stated that, due to this provision, he is unable to secure financing and therefore cannot proceed with the purchase and sale of the property. (Emailed to Councillor Giesta – December 08, 2025.)
12. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Pemberton and Oliver, requesting, that the Committee on City Property meet to begin the process of disposition for the Phillips Avenue Elementary School, located at 249 Phillips Avenue. (Matter ID #0030) (Referred – January 08, 2026.) (February 19, 2026 – VOTE: That a communication be sent to all department heads to determine whether the property is needed for municipal purposes; remain in Committee)
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