New Bedford Mayor Mitchell opposed to losing city's downtown federal building. Here's why.

NEW BEDFORD — The downtown Hastings Keith Federal Building with its distinctive sea urchin sculpture out front may be transitioning out of federal use.

Mayor Jon Mitchell says that's a bad idea.

Located at 53 North Sixth St., it was built in 1974 and was named after Hastings Keith, a Republican congressman for Massachusetts from 1959-1973.

Its key tenants include offices for the Social Security Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. Trustees, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Justice, according to the General Services Administration.

The GSA manages federal government buildings.

Glenn C. Rotondo, GSA regional commissioner, informed Mitchell that the building had been selected by the GSA to transition out of federal use in a November email.

Process could take several years

Rotondo has also subsequently met with Mitchell.

Rotondo stated that notification was the first step in a multi-year process.

The result could be a property exchange, transfer or sale, he said.

Rotondo added, "GSA understands that a change to non-federal use may raise concerns about the impact on your community. In our experience, however, such changes often present significant opportunities."

Mitchell replied by letter earlier this month after meeting with Rotondo, stating, "I would like to make clear that the city firmly opposes the decision."

The GSA's reasoning, Mitchell said he was told, was based on a profitability analysis. The building has a more than 25% vacancy rate, he was told, and that no other federal agencies were seeking to move in.

It would still be unprofitable even if filled to capacity, he was told.

New Bedford needs a federal building

Mitchell said that was flawed thinking.

The GSA is not in business to make a profit, he said. Federal buildings in small and mid-size metropolitan areas are never going to generate as much revenue as offices in major metro areas with their much higher rates.

"The logic of GSA's analysis would lead the federal government to operate office buildings in only the most expensive real estate markets, which almost invariably are in downtown major cities. That is assuredly now what either Congress or the Biden Administration intended."

Mitchell said New Bedford needs a primary federal building for many reasons, including the Port's status as the highest grossing commercial fishing port in the nation, with the fishing industry among the most tightly regulated by the federal government.

Mitchell added that the prospect of consolidating all of NOAA's Northeast offices in New Bedford had received a preliminary nod by NOAA staffers. Such a move would entail adding more federal space to New Bedford, not reducing it.

He added that thousands of Greater New Bedford area residents rely on Social Security Administration payments, and the region's large immigrant population interacts extensively with the Dept. of Homeland Security.

The DEA and IRS also might be in need of the space the building offers.

"In short, the responsibilities of these agencies here are such that they could easily fill the vacant space in the Keith Building, and then some," he stated.

Mitchell said moving Keith's federal tenants to various locations could reduce efficiency and public access.

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New Bedford would suffer loss of prestige

The building's loss would also represent a loss of prestige to the city and region, he stated.

Mitchell called on the GSA to provide the report on which its recommendation is based so that its accuracy can be determined.

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"We stand ready to work with you and the state's Congressional delegation to arrive at the right decision for the federal government, the city and region," Mitchell concluded.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford Mayor Mitchell opposed to losing city's federal building