April 29–NEW BEDFORD — A couple of people — one walking on the sidewalk, the other driving in a car — questioned the reason behind the mayor's podium standing in front of a vacant building at the corner of Union and Pleasant streets on Friday.

Neither knew about the new hotel coming to the city in summer 2018, but Mayor Jon Mitchell hoped to change that with the groundbreaking outside 218-226 Union St.

"We have a project right now that all of you have been hearing about and today's announcement is to say, 'it's all very real,'" Mitchell said.

Workers tossed remnants from inside the building down a yellow chute leading to a Dumpster as demolition inside began. The yellow brick building once housed WBSM's offices on the first floor.

The 46,600-square-foot building will be transformed into a boutique hotel housing 68 hotel rooms, a 3,300-square-foot restaurant and a 5,100-square-foot banquet space.

Valet parking will be offered for the lot down Pleasant Street.

"Our strategy of building the downtown was based the on the premise that there's no successful city in America that doesn't have a vibrant downtown," Mitchell said. "You can't name one. That's why there's been such an emphasis here."

The Columbus Group, a Boston-based developer, will undertake designing the hotel that will be part of the Ascend Collection of Choice Hotels. The same group is responsible for converting the former Standard-Times Building at 555 Pleasant St. into restaurant and various offices.

"Ascend Collection is a boutique brand under Choice Hotel, which encourages owners to be unique and relate to local area," President of Columbus Group Shiawee Yang said. "Our hotel is going to focus on the historic theme and artistic theme of New Bedford."

The hotel and restaurant within the five-story building are expected to employ 50 people. Waterford Hotel Group will serve as the management company.

A portion of the $10 million project will be funded through the EB5 Federal Program, which allows foreign nationals a method to obtain a Green Card when investing money in the United States. Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors.

"We really made a commitment to invest in New Bedford," Yang said. "This is a great solid building, about 100 years old. Like the other structures built in the city, they're so sturdy. It has this historic beauty that can catch your eye."

Follow Michael Bonner on Twitter @MikeBBonnerSCT.