New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
On Friday, August 31, 2012, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell will welcome Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston to the Whaling City. Menino, the five-term Mayor of Boston will dine with Mayor Mitchell and the two mayors will make several stops in the downtown New Bedford. Earlier this year, Mitchell offered a personal invitation to Menino to take a break from his mayoral duties and visit New Bedford located some 60 miles south of Boston.
At 10:00 a.m. the two Mayors and Tony Sapienza, President of Joseph Abboud Manufacturing will visit “The Bay,” a distinguished local retail clothing shop and home to the Joseph Abboud Factory Outlet—a place of great interest to Menino, because of Abboud’s ties to Boston as well as his appreciation for quality clothing. The Joseph Abboud tailored clothing factory located in the north end of New Bedford produces the signature line of Abboud men’s suits sold at retailers across the United States and internationally. These New Bedford-made suits remain a testament to the City’s great tradition of textile manufacture and the production of finely-crafted, tailored clothing. (The Bay—89 North Water Street, New Bedford).
At 10:45 a.m. the Mayors, joined by city transportation and planning officials, will walk one block from The Bay to the bottom of Elm Street and head south along Front Street to review progress being made on the Route 18/JFK Boulevard Improvement Project. The Project will link the downtown business district with the City’s working waterfront by transforming the existing highway into a pedestrian friendly boulevard—much like the Central Artery Project and Rose Kennedy Greenway have expanded access to the Boston waterfront and sparked economic development.
At 11:15 a.m. Mayors Menino and Mitchell will tour the UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts Star Store Campus and discuss the importance of the creative economy in arts and education centers like Boston and New Bedford. (Star Store Campus—715 Purchase Street, New Bedford)
The Mayors also plan to have lunch downtown at Café Balena (11:45 a.m.) and grab coffee at the Celtic Coffee House (9:30 a.m.). (Celtic Coffee House—49 North Water Street, New Bedford). All events are open to the press with the exception of lunch.
