City of Worcester aims to buy Denholm building for $6.8M

Photo | Grant Welker The Denholm building at 484-500 Main St. in Worcester

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By Katherine Hamilton

After months of executive sessions among city officials about the future of Worcester’s Denholm building on Main Street, City Manager Edward Augustus is requesting a $6.8-million loan so the government can acquire the property.

The Worcester Redevelopment Authority, the organization responsible for urban renewal planning and property acquisitions and demolitions, would become the owner if the loan is approved by City Council. WRA had its first executive session to discuss acquiring the Denholm building in August.

The Denholm building spans 200,000 square feet from 484-500 Main Street and is divided into condominium units, most of which have been used by nonprofits like United Way of Central Massachusetts, African Community Education, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts, and the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts.

Tenants have been transitioning out of the Denholm building for months. In a WRA meeting on March 11, WRA member Sumner “Tony” Tilton said he had been helping move six tenants from the Denholm to an office building at 18 Chestnut St.

Power outages have also been reported at the Denholm since late February, according to Spectrum News 1.

The building is split into condominium units, which are currently owned by roughly 20 different entities, according to the Worcester assessors’ database. The value of the units ranges from $150,000 to $450,000.

Augustus will request the loan amount at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.