[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 71 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CORSON BUILDING RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY--FITTING TRIBUTE TO TONY AND 
                           CHRISTOPHER SOUZA

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2008

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, on May 16 there will be a 
very important event in New Bedford, Massachusetts: the ribbon cutting 
for the newly renovated Corson Building, which will be dedicated on 
that date as a key component of the New Bedford Whaling National 
Historical Park Visitors Center.
  I look forward to being joined at the ceremony by my colleague 
Senator Edward Kennedy and many other people who have played an active 
role in both the initial establishment of the National Park and in the 
preservation and restoration of the Corson Building, an important 
historical structure which was nearly destroyed by fire in 1997. 
Through a combination of Federal, State and local government financing, 
along with non-profit funds and efforts, the building, now attached to 
the existing Visitors Center, will serve as a major educational 
facility with valuable public meeting space that will be available for 
both National Park programs and community meetings.
  Among those who will be recognized at the celebration on May 16 for 
their efforts in making the Corson project a reality, there is one 
individual whose contributions over the years were crucial and deserve 
special mention. I speak of New Bedford native Tony Souza, who was the 
long-time Executive Director of the Waterfront Historic Area League, 
WHALE, the city's leading historic preservation organization.
  While Tony and his wife Elsie (who did great work as the Deputy 
District Director of my Congressional office) moved a couple of years 
ago to Florida to pursue other opportunities, it is his vision for both 
the National Park and the Corson Building that we will to a large 
extent be honoring at the ribbon cutting event. A little known aspect 
of Tony's efforts to restore the Corson Building and convert it into an 
educational facility is that he took much of his inspiration for that 
work from his late son, Christopher Souza, who had been a member of 
Senator Kennedy's staff.
   Chris, who shared his parents' commitment to both improving New 
Bedford and preserving its wonderful historical legacy, sadly passed 
away at the age of 26 in 1994. This was of course a tragic loss for his 
family, but it was also a loss to the broader community because we were 
deprived of the talents of a young man who had chosen to dedicate 
himself to public service. Despite his grief over his son's passing, 
Tony gave some thought to steps he might take to honor Chris as an 
individual and also as someone who exemplified the next generation of 
young leaders. This consideration led ultimately to the idea of 
establishing the Corson Building, once it was rebuilt, as a facility 
with a primary focus on education, so that it could, among other 
purposes, play a key role in helping tell the young people of New 
Bedford the remarkable history of their city.
  Like many complicated projects involving older structures and various 
levels of government--not to mention both the vagaries of the 
Congressional appropriations process and the National Park Service's 
property management regulations--getting the Corson Building to where 
it is today involved a slow series of steps with numerous detours. 
Along the way, it was necessary to stabilize the building after the 
fire; develop the necessary design for the renovation; and begin to 
assemble the requisite funds, all of which took time. Tony was 
consistently the driving force behind the efforts to overcome the 
obstacles that emerged, and I know that his desire to see the project 
completed was to a large extent a reflection of his love for his son. 
Indeed, he only decided to seek new challenges outside Massachusetts 
when it was clear that his vision for the project was well on its way 
toward completion.
  So, the Corson Building ribbon cutting ceremony will be both a 
physical and a much more personal homecoming for Tony and Elsie. I join 
with Senator Kennedy, and the elected officials, National Park Service 
representatives and area preservation activists and residents who will 
also be attending the event, in paying tribute to Tony Souza's vital 
contributions to this important accomplishment, and to his son 
Christopher, who was such an important inspiration for his father's 
work on the project.

                          ____________________