Worcester Business Journal

10 Worcester Business Journal | November 16, 2026 | wbjournal.com BY LIVIA GERSHON Special to WBJ F or Worcester historian Christopher Sawyer, demolition of the nearly 150-year-old Denholm Building in downtown Worcester is bittersweet. "To be honest with you, it breaks my heart," Sawyer said. "is is the day I've dreaded since I was a kid. is was a landmark. But I under- stand what they're trying to do with the parcel." e six-story building at 484-500 Main St. once housed the city's top shopping destination, Denholm & McKay department store, which fea- tured a glass-en- closed escalator. "is was Worcester's most modern office building, with retail on the first floor," said Saw- yer, a historian and author focused on the building's history. "It was the first to have elec- tricity." e city of Worcester is seeking bids to demolish the building as e Menkiti Group plans to construct two new buildings with at least 175 apartments at the site. e project will include a sev- en-story building at 484 Main St. with 101 apartments and a seven- or eight-story build- ing with 74 or 86 units on High Street, according to Mark Rengel, vice president of development for e Menkiti Group. Rengel said the company is model- ing the financial benefits of the plans, which would total either 175 or 187 apartments. Twenty percent of the units will be set aside as affordable, and the rest will rent at market rates. "It's clearly a priority for the city and the residents of the city of Worcester," said Rengel. "We want to deliver something aspirational." e bottom floor of the Main Street building will include retail space and amenities for residents such as a fit- ness room and spaces for meeting and socializing. e building's exterior will be recessed to allow the retail tenant to use the outdoor area for seating and other uses, helping promote a lively atmosphere in the area, he said. Rengel said the buildings were designed to use stylistic elements and materials that allude to both the Denholm building itself and other Worcester buildings from the 1850s through the 1930s. "As an architect, I'm like a kid in a candy store," he said. "It's a privilege to work among such beautiful buildings." Last days for the Denholm Building Downtown housing project will provide nearly 200 apartments Christopher Sawyer Mark Rengel, The Menkiti Group The Denholm Building once housed the city's top shopping destination, the Denholm & McKay department store. PHOTO | COURTESY CHRISTOPHER SAWYER The Denholm & McKay store in the Denholm building was popular during the holiday season. PHOTO | COURTESY CHRISTOPHER SAWYER

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