^ Thanks for the reply.
I'm glad you see the potential of New Bedford as well. I'd like to note that I'm not actually from New Bedford. In fact, I'm from Assonet (on 24 just north of Fall River).
My feelings about New Bedford are that it is becoming and up and coming place to be. There is a dedicated mayoral staff and progress has been made and is continuing to be made.
Downtown is where it's happening mostly, but progress is being made elsewhere too (see: Wamsutta Mills). In terms of culture and arts, NB can rival any New England city its (Except Cambridge) size. The NB Museum of Art does a great job, and there are plenty of independent galleries and artist colonies that offer up some unique work. The Z plays host to many performers and the Festivals and Feasts are known accross New England and the Nation (in fact, the Portuguese feast of the Blessed Sacrament draws in 300,000 plus people every year).
In terms of food, the Portuguese cuisine is (and has been for quite some time) in a league of its own , but other restaurants and concepts are poping up everywhere. In the past 5 years, Downtown has gone from a place to avoid to a great place to spend an evening out. Tapas at "Cork" are great, as is the wine there, Freestone's and Candleworks have been staples for some time, but are benefitting from increased interest in the area. Cafe Balena brings fine Italian food to the cobblestone streets of Downtown, and the Spicy Lime is great for modern Thai Cuisine. Waterfront Bar and Grille is probably the best addition. Opening this summer, it is home to sushi and seafood that rival anything in Boston or Providence at much more reasonable prices. It's location on Homer's Wharf provides a great view and access to the freshest seafood, as well as being immediatly adjacent to the proposed hotel site (which is slated to break ground in the next two months).
The nightlife is no longer just for the local fisherman either. While the "National Club" is still at home on the corner of Union and 18, the "Catwalk" and "Fins" (and Cork accross the way) play host to the younger, and more affluent crowd. A new nightclub called Visions recently opened on Union and is one of two Downtown dance clubs (along with Bar 908).
This is just the tip of the iceberg, but a host of new stores have located themselves downtown. Off the top of my head I can name, Calico, a Chic women's clothing store opened up a few years ago and just moved into a large space, and two new upscale clothing stores are opening this fall (one men's and one women's). But there are many more.
Don't worry about the Hotel being completed. It's being done by the Lafrance Hospitality group, a Westport family with long standing ties to the area (they own Bittersweet Farms in WPT, Whites of Westport, Rachel's Lakeside, and a few hotels in this area and Maine and NH. the site:
http://www.lafrancehospitality.com/). Oh, yes, the Days Inn NB is still alive and .... as well as it can be.
As for the Aquarium, it's not COMPLETELY dead. It's Partially alive in the form of the New Bedford Ocean Explorium (
http://www.oceanexplorium.org/ ). It's nearing the end of construction and the finished exhibits are open on Saturdays free of charge.
New Bedford is on its way up. It's not there yet, but it's gaining momentum. Improvements downtown haven't gone unnoticed and are growing in volume. This fall marks the groundbreaking of the Route 18 improvement project which will include downgrading it from a highway to a tree-lined boulevard complete with bike lanes and pedestrian friendly elements. The commuter rail will be the engine that drives the city even further.
The problem now, is changing people's mind about NB. Most people (as you said) either don't know ANYTHING about it, or know it negatively due to its poor reputation. But that takes time and can't be rushed. Even people who haven't been to providence in 10 years will tell you how crappy Providence is (not that NB is comparable to Prov in any other way). It takes time to reform people's impression of a place, but New Bedford is slowly doing that and slowly becoming a destination again.
Oh, and Yes, New Bedford IS home the Nation's Wealthiest Fishing Port (in terms of value of catch). But that fact alone won't draw anyone in. We'll keeping working for more, and hope the progress keeps going. Thanks again for the response. Feel free to Post anything you have to contribute.
Jeez, I just can't remember the name of the store. I was too young. Newberries!??
