Demolition request for Main St. building on hold

WORCESTER Members of the Historical Commission Thursday night said they didnt have enough information proving the owners of the Central Building at 332 Main St. were undergoing undue economic hardship by keeping the historic structure standing.

The commission granted a continuance to a request for a waiver from the demolition delay ordinance to next month to 332 Main St. Associates, a group controlled by the Krock family.

The ordinance puts a one-year waiting period in place for demolition requests for historic properties. The intent is to encourage the owners to find a buyer who will preserve the structure or find some way to reuse the building. Owners can seek a waiver from the delay.

Thursday night, 332 Main St. Associates lawyer, Gary Brackett, told the commission it was getting too expensive for the owners to keep the eight-story building, built around 1925. There are no tenants, and there have been no real offers to buy the building, he said.

Mr. Brackett said it costs about $150,000 annually in maintenance and heating, which was a requirement from the Fire Department to preserve the fire suppression system inside.

Members of the commission questioned whether the property was as actively marketed as the owners have claimed, and whether it really created an undue economic hardship.

Commission member James Crowley questioned Mr. Bracketts assertion that the owners believe there could be up to 1 million square feet of surplus office space in the city.

A simple assertion that efforts have been made to rent the property is not enough to satisfy me that thats the case, Mr. Crowley said.

Commission member Timothy McCann said that in addition to specific economic information detailing the costs of keeping the building and also the financial situation of the owners, he would like to hear more about the owners plans for what would go there if the demolition takes place.

Mr. Brackett said he could provide more detailed financial information to the commission if granted a continuance.

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Demolition request for Main St. building on hold