New Bedford’s Star Store Will Get New Life

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — New Bedford’s historic Star Store will soon get new life while remaining an integral part of the city’s arts scene.

Mayor Jon Mitchell and the New Bedford Economic Development Council announced Monday that “agreements are in place to reopen the former Star Store building under new ownership, transforming it into a regional arts hub,” stated a City of New Bedford release.

The Star Store building has remained empty since UMass Dartmouth pulled its College of Visual and Performing Arts from the facility just weeks before the start of the Fall 2023 semester, blindsiding students and faculty.

READ MORE: New Bedford's Star Store to No Longer Serve as UMD Campus

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Who Is Taking Over Star Store?

According to information provided by Senator Mark Montigny, the City of New Bedford legally conveyed the Star Store building on May 29 to the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston for just $1.

The City said that “A&BC will invest in preserving the Star Store building and, through a robust public engagement process, operate it as a nationally recognized, publicly accessible arts facility. The redevelopment aims to serve as an economic engine for Greater New Bedford and elevate the city's national stature as a center for the arts.”

“This partnership between the NBEDC and the A&BC lays the foundation for the Star Store’s reactivation as an anchor institution and economic driver in Downtown New Bedford,” Mayor Mitchell said. “The A&BC has a proven track record of success with arts-based developments, and they will be a welcome addition to our city.”

What Will Be Done at Star Store

Much-needed rehab on the building will include “mechanical system upgrades and repairs to the roof, façade and interior.”

There will also be a “comprehensive, arts-and-culture-focused needs assessment” of the facility, and A&BC “will take the lead on securing funding sources,” the City said.

It also noted that “the facility will carry a New Bedford-based brand.”

What Is the Arts & Business Council?

“A&BC is a well-capitalized nonprofit organization with a seasoned board and strong philanthropic backing. It provides tools and services to support artists, creators, and creative organizations, including low-cost studio space, pro-bono legal services, artistic practice programs, and fiscal sponsorship,” according to the City.

Has A&BC Taken on Similar Projects?

The City said that A&BC “has successfully redeveloped large buildings in other Massachusetts cities.”

“One of its flagship projects is the Western Avenue Studios & Lofts in Lowell, where a 200,000-square-foot mill building was transformed into a vibrant community space featuring artist work/live studios, galleries, a brewery, coffee shop, and offices – all fully occupied with a waiting list,” according to the City.

How Star Store Came to Be Vacant

Star Store was originally a four-story, 150,000-square foot department store – “the region’s retail epicenter,” according to the City – until it was vacated in 1987. In June 1995, the City of New Bedford took possession of the building for unpaid taxes.

READ MORE: New Bedford's Star Store Was Once a Thriving Department Store

The New Bedford Redevelopment Authority designated Paul Downey as the developer in November 1995. In September 1999, the property was sold to Downey for $1, and in February 2000, the Commonwealth’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and UMass Dartmouth entered into a 20-year lease with Downey which included the option to buy the building from him for $1 by 30 days before the end of the lease.

However, UMass Dartmouth did not follow through on that plan, instead opting to pull its College of Visual and Performing Arts out of the facility, citing its “age” and “deferred maintenance needs.”

READ MORE: Montigny Says UMD "Failed to Meet Its Responsibilities" at Star Store

During those 20 years, millions in appropriations to maintain the facility were not put to proper use. In September 2024, the Office of the Inspector General issued a scathing report, deeming the original sale of the building a “sham procurement” and calling the state-funded lease of over two decades “wasteful.”

READ MORE: IG Report Says UMD-Star Store Deal Was "Wasteful"

How the City Got the Star Store Back From Downey

In October 2023, the City of New Bedford took Star Store Holdings LLC and its head, Downey, to land court over unpaid taxes on the property that totaled more than $525,000 for Fiscal Year 2023, and saying it also owed almost $1 million in unpaid taxes in previous years as well.

READ MORE: Mitchell Says City Could Purchase Star Store

“After months of negotiation, Downey and the City reached an agreement, which was approved by the Massachusetts Division of Local Services and the New Bedford Board of Assessors,” according to the City release. “With the title cleared, Downey donated the building to A&BC.”

READ MORE: New Bedford Taking Star Store Owner to Court Over Unpaid Taxes

“I am pleased that the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston is taking over the building,” Downey said. “This will ensure the continued growth of the thriving arts community that began when UMass located the College of Visual and Performing Arts in the Star Store.”

The City Looked Into Other Uses for Star Store Building

The City said it had commissioned Jones Lang LaSalle, a national real estate consulting firm, to evaluate potential uses for the building.

“The study found the building to be in good condition but noted that its layout limited options for conventional redevelopment,” the City said. “Residential, office, or hotel conversions were deemed cost-prohibitive, while artist studios or classrooms – typically managed by nonprofit institutions – were considered viable.”

Montigny Urges for “Scrutiny” of Star Store Deal

On Friday, May 30, State Senator Mark Montigny – who spearheaded the legislation to create the original public-private partnership for Star Store and its use as the UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts campus – sent a letter to Geoffrey E. Snyder, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, urging him to “scrutinize” this arrangement.

READ MORE: Montigny Wants Unspent Star Store Funds Used on Displaced Students

“Removing the stakeholders previously involved in this project is a welcomed and much-needed development that will advance redevelopment plans reimaging Star Store in line with my 2024 law calling for artist lofts, studios and gallery space,” Montigny wrote to Snyder.

“However, I urge your department to carefully scrutinize the current arrangement to ensure taxpayers and the Commonwealth are protected,” he wrote. “As the author of a current $8 million bond authorization for the Star Store, I cannot in good conscience permit any further public investments in this building without a clear development plan with rigorous safeguards for the public. Your department and the Office of the Inspector General are in a unique position to lead this process.”