City Property Committee Meeting: Fire Station Proposals and Other Business - August 11, 2026
City Property Committee Meeting: Fire Station Proposals and Other Business - August 11, 2026
This meeting of the New Bedford City Property Committee was held on August 11, 2026, at 7:03 PM in City Council Chambers, Room 214. The committee considered proposals for the redevelopment of two former fire stations (Fire Station #3 at 834 Kempton Street and Fire Station #11 at 754 Brock Avenue), heard presentations from three developers, and voted on the selection of developers for each property. The meeting also addressed two other agenda items. The meeting adjourned at 7:51 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Items 4 (Communication regarding the Clark Cove Beach Nourishment Project) and 5 (Written motion regarding the Ashley Park Warming House) were moved to be waived of reading and referred to the full City Council for no further action. The motion passed unanimously.
Discussion Items
- Fire Station #3 (834 Kempton Street): Two developers presented proposals.
- Gwozdz Development (Christian Gwozdz Silvera): Proposed six apartments, a tenant common garden, laundry, and donated space to the South Coast Business Alliance. Included a building permit contingency and a financing contingency. Stated his company has over 20 years of experience and is DCAM certified. Questions from Councilor Burgle focused on parking (12 spaces claimed) and timeline (1.5 years to move-in).
- Divine Contractors, Inc. / Freedom Realty Group (Gary Gagney): Proposed eight apartments with no financing or permit contingencies. Offered $75,000 purchase price (vs. $50,000 from Gwozdz). Claimed private financing secured, no risk to the city. Timeline estimated at 18 months. Cited 18 completed projects in New Bedford since 2024. Questions from Councilor Burgle about feasibility of eight units and parking.
- Fire Station #11 (754 Brock Avenue): Two developers presented proposals.
- South Coast Investments, Inc.: Presented a proposal for eight residential apartments with one garage space per unit and two visitor spaces (total 10). Stated the proposal had been vetted and selected twice by the committee. Emphasized $15,000 pre-development investment, collaboration with city departments, and two years of work. Councilor Burgle noted the proposal had been presented before and asked about bank financing.
- Divine Contractors, Inc. / Freedom Realty Group (Gary Gagney): Again offered no contingencies, highest purchase price ($75,000), and private financing. Emphasized no risk to the city and faster timeline. Also mentioned site plans and parking agreements. Councilor Gomes clarified that the extra funds from the sale are not dedicated to any specific purpose.
Key Outcomes
- Fire Station #3 (834 Kempton Street):
- Motion to select Divine Contractors/Freedom Realty Group failed 6-2 (Councilors Burgle and Roy in favor; all others opposed).
- Motion to select South Coast Investments, Inc. passed 6-2 (Councilors Burgle and Roy opposed; all others in favor).
- Fire Station #11 (754 Brock Avenue):
- Motion to select Divine Contractors/Freedom Realty Group failed 6-2 (Councilors Burgle and Roy in favor; all others opposed).
- Motion to select Gwozdz Development passed 6-2 (Councilors Burgle and Roy opposed; all others in favor).
- The committee will report these recommendations to the full City Council for final approval.
- Items 4 and 5 were referred to the full City Council with a recommendation for no further action.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the committee on city property. The date is August 11th, 2026. The time is 703 p.m. We are in the city council chambers room 214. And oh thank uh please note this meeting is being live streamed and recorded. City Council and Committee meetings can be viewed on the City of New Bedford's home page under quick links then meetings. I am joined by my colleagues in government, uh Councilor at large Ann Abrew, Councillor of Ward 2, uh Scott Pemberton, Councilor of Ward 1, Leo Shouquette, Counselor at Large, uh Brian K. Gomes, Councillor at Large, James Roy, Counselor at large, Naomi R. Period A, period Carney, Councillor at large, and second Vice Uh Vice President Shane Burger. First Vice President, sorry, Shane Burgle. Not yet. And myself, Councillor of Ward 3, Sean Oliver. I asked the clerk if there's anything to be read into the record. Yes, I have uh two letters and a uh communication to read into the record. Uh this one's from Councillor Lopes. Um I am writing to inform you that I am unable to attend tonight's committee meeting due to a previously scheduled commitment. Please read this letter into the record to make my colleagues and the public aware of the reason for my absence. This one's from Councillor Pereira. I am writing to inform you that I will be on I will be absent from tonight's committee meeting on city property due to a previously scheduled commitment. Please read this letter into the record to make my colleagues and the public aware of the reason for my absence, and I received a text communication from Councillor Baptiste, who is not in attendance this evening because he is ill. Okay. Motion to receive the communications on file. So moved. So moved by Councillor Burgo, second by Councillor Choquette. All in favor? The eyes uh all opposed, the eyes have it. Uh colleagues, uh before we start, um obviously this uh item is uh back before us. Um the number one is the report that was sent out. Um I suggest that we um start with uh reading uh one B C two and three into the record to open the meeting. So moved. So moved by Councillor Abrew. Second by Councilor Premerton, all in favor. Okay, yeah. Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry, just a point of order. If you want to announce that the meetings be in live stream so people know. Yeah, I did. Oh, you said that I did. No, he did. Well, we'll say it again. It's being live streamed. Oh, and recorded. And recorded. Okay. So one A is an order that the City Property Committee recommend uh the approval of the sale of eighty eight three four Kempton Street, the former fire station number three and seven five four Brock Avenue, former fire station number eleven pursuant to the proposal selected by the committee in here to attach and further that the city council authorized the mayor. The city solicitor to execute the sale pursuant to the attached proposals was referred here on July sixteenth, twenty twenty-six. One B is a proposal. Submitted by South Coast Investments Incorporated for the development of fire station number three, located at eight thirty-four uh Kempton Street. It was received by the committee on city property on May 11th, 2026, and was referred on July 16th, 2026.
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