Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | February 23, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 5 47,872-square-foot cinema was sold for $5.1 million on Jan. 30, according to Worcester District Registry of Deeds re- cords, an apparent end to legal disputes and debate over the future of the site stretching back almost a decade. e site was purchased by Bo- chasanwasi Shree Akshar Purush- ottam Swaminarayan Sanshtha, a Hindu denomination headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, which has more than 5,000 centers of worship across the globe, according to its website. e Regal Cinema at the site closed in 2007 as its leased near expiration, according to CinemaTreasures.com, a website tracking the history of movie houses. Regal had been paying property taxes for the site, and aer its closing, the Town of Westborough was unable to reach Westborough SPE, the property's then-owner. Spencer developer to build 48 Worcester apartments Spencer-based property developer Yoram Ben-Naim plans to build a two-building, 48-unit apartment com- plex on a vacant lot on Plantation Street in Worcester. Ben-Naim's Ram Hill Avenue Invest- ments & Developments LLC is seeking Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals approval to build the apartment build- ings at 149 Plantation St., according to application materials. e 2.7-acre parcel is a grassy vacant lot on a hill overlooking Shrewsbury Street and the CSX Worcester Rail Yard. Each building would be three- floors, with some apartments featuring outdoor decks. e development will include a dog park for residents. Ben-Naim had previously proposed a 19-unit duplex community for the site in 2022, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. He purchased the lot for $630,000 in 2021, according to City of Worcester property records. e application was submitted by the project's engineering firm, Expedited Engineering of Southborough. Ben-Naim is seeking ZBA signoff to reduce the parking requirement for the project from the 96 parking spaces required under zoning regulations to 88 spaces. e project is set to be heard at the ZBA's Feb. 23 meeting. W $2.3 billion Assets that Littleton-based Hanscom Federal Credit Union will manage once it completes its merger with Alden Credit Union, with locations in Chicopee and Belchertown Source: Hanscom Federal Credit Union 46.6 Score of the Massachusetts Business Confidence Index in January, marking 11 consecutive months the state's BCI has remained in pessimistic territory Source: Associated Industries of Massachusetts $13 million Combined gift two anonymous alumni and their partners donated to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in February for student scholarships Source: WPI Worcester address of the only Checkers fast-food location in New England, which opened its doors in February Source: Checkers 99 Gold Star Blvd.

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