Historical Commission rejects mill demolition waiver

Other Committee · Meeting of October 29, 2026

WORCESTER — The Worcester Historical Commission voted 5-0 to deny a demolition delay waiver for the former Rainbow building at 112 Grove Street, part of the city's Washburn and Moen mill complex. Applicant 112 Grove Street LLC, represented by VHB consultant Nicole Benjamin and Kyle McCroskey, told commissioners the owner wanted to clear the site and had marketed the vacant building for two years without finding a tenant. City staff noted the lot is not contiguous with an adjacent parcel the owner controls, meaning surface parking is not zoned there even if the building comes down.

Resident Janice Sherman called the plan something that would be "an insult to the people of Worcester." The same meeting unanimously approved reroofing at 1 Oak Street and 50 Cedar Street, mini-split installation at 37 Somerset Street, a fence replacement at 22 Whitman Road, and a historic-significance finding for 4 King Street tied to a Community Preservation Act funding bid.

In the full story:

• Roll Call and Opening
• 1 Oak Street: Roof Replacement
• 54 Mason Street: Withdrawal of Demolition Request
• 112 Grove Street: Demolition Delay Waiver Denied
• 171 Austin Street: Housing Rehabilitation Work
• 50 Cedar Street: Synthetic Slate Roof Replacement
• 37 Somerset Street: Ductless Heat Pump Installation
• 22 Whitman Road: Fence Replacement
• 4 King Street: Determination of Local Historic Significance
• Other Business and Administrative Matters
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,709 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of October 29, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.