New Bedford Announces New Enterprise Hub Dubbed ‘The Quest’

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — The City of New Bedford is making room for the offshore wind industry and other industries – literally.

Mayor Jon Mitchell announced on Monday the relaunching of the City’s business support center on Purchase Street as The Quest: New Bedford’s Enterprise Hub.

In his weekly appearance on WBSM, Mayor Jon Mitchell Tuesday said the City has been working hard to develop new businesses.

“We do that through a number of means, the (New Bedford) Economic Development Council, a number of workforce agencies, but also through accelerator programs and coworking programs, where businesses share resources and share the space,” Mitchell said. “We found an opportunity to supersize all of that.”

Located in a City-owned facility at 1213 Purchase Street formerly known as The Quest Center for Innovation, the building is getting a makeover as part of its new purpose.

“We’ve seen these things work pretty well in Europe, especially where there’s offshore wind and marine activity going on,” Mitchell said. “So we said we should have that here in New Bedford, the place we thought we should do it is in the Quest Center, because you have all this other complementary activity.”

The three-story building will get a new entry lobby, atrium stairs and common areas, as well as a complete renovation of the top floor with dedicated space for businesses associated with the offshore wind and maritime industries.

On the outside, the building will get new lighting, mechanical and utility upgrades, and a repointing of the brick facade.

A new logo and sign will illuminate on the side of the building, visible off JFK Boulevard on the way in and out of historic downtown New Bedford.

The $3 million project was funded by $1.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act money awarded to the City, and $1.5 million from Vineyard Wind’s Offshore Wind Industry Accelerator Fund, which according to a release “aims to accelerate the development of offshore wind businesses, infrastructure, and supply chain in New Bedford and throughout Massachusetts.”

Groundwork, the co-working space on the first floor, will remain in its current location, as will the New Bedford Economic Development Council offices on the second floor.

“The Quest will be a nerve-center for start-ups and established companies to exchange ideas, leverage resources, and ultimately grow and expand,” Mayor Mitchell said. “The Quest will contribute to the revitalization of its neighborhood and add to the dynamism of the Greater New Bedford economy, especially in the maritime sector.”

The third floor will be anchored by the new home of the New Bedford Ocean Cluster, described as “a non profit maritime industry association dedicated to advancing the City’s ocean economy.”

As such, the third floor will also have small office suites, event space, meeting rooms and common areas for supporting the offshore wind industry and other maritime businesses coming to the city. It will give those businesses interested in setting up shop in New Bedford some short-term office space to build their presence in the city, while also keeping them close to the other entities that they will work closely with here.

“New Bedford is at the very heart of the Vineyard Wind project, and we are proud to help advance the continued development of the City’s maritime and business community by supporting The Quest,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller. “We are grateful to our partners throughout the City, and commend Mayor Mitchell for his vision and dedication to New Bedford’s growing innovation economy.”

Mitchell was joined in the announcement by Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller, Avangrid Chief Development Officer Ken Kimmell, New Bedford Economic Development Council Executive Director Derek Santos, New Bedford Ocean Cluster Executive Director Jennifer Downing and other officials.