8/17/23 Press Release from State Senator Mark Montigny
Following the decision by UMass Dartmouth to vacate the Star Store campus in downtown New Bedford, Senator Mark Montigny issued an urgent appeal to Governor Healey for immediate intervention to protect students and the public’s financial investment in the downtown facility. The Star Store is widely recognized as the impetus of the nationally recognized arts and cultural renaissance in New Bedford. Senator Montigny was the original legislative sponsor of the project and has fought to preserve it for twenty-three years, including the most recent efforts to secure the building for the public in perpetuity.
Since 2021, Montigny has repeatedly secured Senate budget provisions and law requiring the university, through DCAMM, to secure the Star Store building through a one-dollar purchase option along with continued state funding. Montigny’s 2021 budget provision requiring the one-dollar acquisition was approved by the Senate but was not included in the final budget following conference negotiations. The following year, the Senate approved Montigny’s updated budget directive requiring DCAMM to execute the purchase option and report back to the legislature on the building’s capital needs. Governor Baker signed Montigny’s proposal into law with an amendment putting the UMass Building Authority in charge over DCAMM to execute the one-dollar purchase option. To date, the purchase option has not been implemented and DCAMM continued to provide monthly payments to a private developer without a lawful agreement in place or any planned acquisition as required by law.
Despite repeated warnings from Senator Montigny since 2019 and multiple opportunities to secure the Star Store campus’ future, the university hastily began vacating the facility earlier this week. While current state bonding authorizations, surplus revenues, and operating funds could have been available to assist the university in continued operations at the campus, the university chose to neglect its legal responsibility to acquire the building on behalf of students, taxpayers, and the wider Southcoast community. The current $8 million state bond secured into law by Montigny stands available upon transfer of the building back to the Commonwealth.
In response to the university’s decision, Senator Montigny has issued an urgent and direct appeal to the Healey Administration to help protect impacted students and the public’s financial investment in the facility.
“Star Store must be immediately transferred into the Commonwealth’s hands to safeguard the massive equity interest taxpayers have paid for over the past twenty-two years,” said Senator Montigny. “We have been clear that state resources can be made available to maximize the usefulness of this building, but not without public ownership as required by the original agreement and state law signed just last year. Not another nickel of taxpayer money can be paid to a private entity while the university has just walked away from its responsibility to students and our community.”
Letter to the Governor
In his letter to the governor, Sen. Montigny “urgently” requests assistance, stating that UMD “blindsided students with the unfortunate decision to vacate the campus despite over twenty years of state investments that created and paid for the facility.”
Sen. Montigny notes that the developer acquired the property from New Bedford’s redevelopment authority for $1. At the end of the lease, the state was supposed to purchase the building for $1, “providing a public arts campus in perpetuity.”
“As a result of this arrangment, Star Store was transformed into a thriving university arts campus that fueled an economic resurgence in the city’s downtown district,” writes Sen. Montigny. “The invaluable economic development benefits provided by this project literally transformed our downtown and triggered the beginning of an even bigger revival across our city.”
Sen. Montigny goes on to say the Universiity “failed to meet its responsibilty to secure and maintain the building.”
He says it is apparent that public resources have been squandered and/or exploited. The building is in “significant disrepair.”
“The lack of attention by the university and state agencies responsible for this public campus must stop,” writes Sen. Montigny, adding that UMD and DCAMM “failed to fulfill their “legal obligations and moral obligation to students and taxpayers who keep the university afloat.”
“While I am proud of everything the Star Store campus has accomplished for the revival of downtown New Bedford and our city’s economy, I cannot stand by while a public institution recklessly disregards the contributions of taxpaers and its responsibility towards students,” writes Sen. Montigny.
He adds that he championed all of the funding and necessary law for 20 years for the campus, “only to now watch it thwarted by disinterested bureaucrats who would never treat their personal investments this way.”
The letter and press release are available on our website at www. neighbnews.com under archives and this week’s issue, 8/24/23.
•••
Click here to download the 8/24/23 issue: 08-24-23 CarShow
Click here for Star Store update: MontignyStarStore
Click here for Town Administrator-DeTerra letters: ALE_DeTerra
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal