WORCESTER, Mass. - The City of Worcester’s chief development officer says the trustees and current owners of units at the Denholm building are evaluating their options for the future.

Peter Dunn said options could include a sale of the downtown building with owners staying put or moving. He said they’re gathering information to make the best decision collectively.

Dunn said the age of the Main Street building isn’t as important as its condition, and there are several capital repairs on the Denholm Building Trust’s list.

Stakeholders reached out to the Worcester Redevelopment Authority because the building is in the center of the area of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Plan, which opened the door for the WRA to assist.

“We have been talking with them about what their goals and objectives are, what kind of things the Worcester Redevelopment Authority could do to assist those plans,” Dunn said. “And so those discussions are ongoing right now.”

The Denholm building extends a downtown block from 484 to 500 Main St. and is across from City Hall. It’s home to local nonprofits, such as United Way of Central Massachusetts and Worcester Community Action Council, as well as regional offices for nonprofits like Big Brother Big Sister and Easterseals Massachusetts.

Dunn said they will continue to meet with owners and trustees about the future of the building, including the WRA potentially acquiring the property. He said there is currently no definitive timeline on the building’s future. The WRA has met in executive session occasionally since August 2021 to discuss acquiring the Denholm building. 

The Denholm building was constructed in 1885 and the six-story, 200,000 square ft. building is believed to be home to the first escalators in the city, as well as the first building with electricity and air conditioning.