Lafrance Hospitality looks to bring new hotel to the South Coast; here are the details

NEW BEDFORD – Lafrance Hospitality has proposed building a new hotel near the Downtown intercity rail station in New Bedford and has submitted an application and other materials to the City’s Planning Board to begin the review process.

The proposed hotel would be located at 1 Pearl St. at the current site of a tire recycling facility, just north of the new intercity rail station and Whale’s Tooth parking lot. The hotel, which would carry a national brand, would have a mix of 140 rooms and suites, a restaurant/bar with patio, meeting room and swimming pool. The project site calls for an architecturally appealing five-story building and comprehensive landscaping design. The $25 million-plus project would be complete by spring 2027.

Lafrance Hospitality operates the Fairfield Inn & Suites on MacArthur Drive, Merrill’s on the Waterfront restaurant on Homer’s Wharf, and recently completed the Eighteen & Union housing development on Commercial Street. It is also performing a $8 million rehabilitation at 89 N. Water St. into Elmwood Landing apartments and is well known in Westport for their restaurants and hotels

“The Lafrance family has a history of successful investment in New Bedford and continues to show confidence in our City with this new project,” Mayor Jon Mitchell said. “While it still has a ways to go, we are working with the Lafrance family to elevate its chances of success. More hotel rooms means more business for our restaurants, stores and museums, and more tax revenue for our City.”

“We are thrilled at the prospect of expanding our presence in New Bedford,” Lafrance Hospitality Chairman Richard Lafrance said. “This project is not just about building a hotel; it’s about contributing to the City and supporting local businesses. We believe this development will be a valuable addition to New Bedford.”

For the past two years, Mayor Mitchell and the New Bedford Economic Development Council have been pursuing the development of a new hotel. Additional support was provided by the City’s Planning Department and the New Bedford Redevelopment Authority.

Materials for the proposed hotel were filed with the City’s Planning Board and will be discussed at the May 14 meeting. Lafrance said the company is dedicated to maintaining clear communication with New Bedford residents and stakeholders throughout the development process, adding that the company looks forward to sharing more details as the project progresses.