The undersigned are opposed to the demolition of the Central Building at 332 Main Street in downtown Worcester. We urge the current owners to promote this property to potential buyers for rehabilitation. Main Street Matters!
The Central Building was built in 1925 as one of the last office buildings erected in Worcester before the Great Depression. The building was created with cast metal store fronts on the first floor and seven stories of office space above, topped with a copper cornice. The façade of the building has been rendered in a classical style out of limestone and brick.
The Central Building at 332 Main Street is a historic property and demolition would set back efforts by the City of Worcester to revitalize Main Street and the downtown area. The demolition of the building would leave an unsightly vacant lot near historic Mechanics Hall and would discourage those looking to open retail and business space in the city center. Studies of large urban areas like Worcester show that empty lots and surface parking lots emphasize a perception of a lack of safety and an increased crime rate.
Updates
August 14, 2013
I honestly never thought we would actually see this kind of momentum when I first wrote this up at my kitchen table while staring at that beautiful cornice and worrying about the wrecking balls. It feels like people actually want to keep our downtown history alive instead of just letting it all turn into more concrete slabs for cars which is just wild to think about.
Reached 100 supporters
August 14, 2013
6 Comments
Mayor Petty recently came to Boston with a large delegation of School Department officials to advance plans for two new schools before the MSBA. Is there similar cheerleading from the top down on saving the Central Building? if this monumental expression of Jazz Age civic pride and prosperity is lost, Main Street will be perilously close to becoming desolation avenue. The losses of the Foster and Flagg Blocks over several decades ago, while egregious, pale in comparison.
It has not helped that most WRTA busses no longer travel up Main St. past City Hall. Even Mayor joseph Petty admitted that diverting the busses from downtown has hurt downtown businesses much more than sponsoring a cafe at City Hall for training disadvantaged youth ever could.
Keep tearing down our history and there wont be a downtown left. Worcester needs character not more empty lots for parking.
Why is the city letting this happen? that building has way more personality than the boring glass boxes they want to replace it with.
I remember when that building was full of life. just another part of the city being thrown away for nothing.
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The undersigned are opposed to the demolition of the Central Building at 332 Main Street in downtown Worcester. We urge the current owners to promote this property to potential buyers for rehabilitation. Main Street Matters!
The Central Building was built in 1925 as one of the last office buildings erected in Worcester before the Great Depression. The building was created with cast metal store fronts on the first floor and seven stories of office space above, topped with a copper cornice. The façade of the building has been rendered in a classical style out of limestone and brick.
The Central Building at 332 Main Street is a historic property and demolition would set back efforts by the City of Worcester to revitalize Main Street and the downtown area. The demolition of the building would leave an unsightly vacant lot near historic Mechanics Hall and would discourage those looking to open retail and business space in the city center. Studies of large urban areas like Worcester show that empty lots and surface parking lots emphasize a perception of a lack of safety and an increased crime rate.
Updates
August 14, 2013
I honestly never thought we would actually see this kind of momentum when I first wrote this up at my kitchen table while staring at that beautiful cornice and worrying about the wrecking balls. It feels like people actually want to keep our downtown history alive instead of just letting it all turn into more concrete slabs for cars which is just wild to think about.
Reached 100 supporters
August 14, 2013
6 Comments
Mayor Petty recently came to Boston with a large delegation of School Department officials to advance plans for two new schools before the MSBA. Is there similar cheerleading from the top down on saving the Central Building? if this monumental expression of Jazz Age civic pride and prosperity is lost, Main Street will be perilously close to becoming desolation avenue. The losses of the Foster and Flagg Blocks over several decades ago, while egregious, pale in comparison.
Mayor Petty recently came to Boston with a large delegation of School Department officials to advance plans for two new schools before the MSBA. Is there similar cheerleading from the top down on saving the Central Building? if this monumental expression of Jazz Age civic pride and prosperity is lost, Main Street will be perilously close to becoming desolation avenue. The losses of the Foster and Flagg Blocks over several decades ago, while egregious, pale in comparison.
It has not helped that most WRTA busses no longer travel up Main St. past City Hall. Even Mayor joseph Petty admitted that diverting the busses from downtown has hurt downtown businesses much more than sponsoring a cafe at City Hall for training disadvantaged youth ever could.
Keep tearing down our history and there wont be a downtown left. Worcester needs character not more empty lots for parking.
Why is the city letting this happen? that building has way more personality than the boring glass boxes they want to replace it with.
I remember when that building was full of life. just another part of the city being thrown away for nothing.
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Mayor Petty recently came to Boston with a large delegation of School Department officials to advance plans for two new schools before the MSBA. Is there similar cheerleading from the top down on saving the Central Building? if this monumental expression of Jazz Age civic pride and prosperity is lost, Main Street will be perilously close to becoming desolation avenue. The losses of the Foster and Flagg Blocks over several decades ago, while egregious, pale in comparison.