Slater Building, a Main Street presence for more than a century, could become apartments

WORCESTER – The Slater Building, a landmark that has towered over downtown since 1907, could become the latest apartment hub in the city as it’s being eyed by a Boston-based developer for mixed use redevelopment.

WinnDevelopment, a branch of WinnCompanies, is looking to purchase the 10-story building to renovate for mixed use with affordable and middle-income housing, according to the developer’s spokesman, Ed Cafasso.

The company will look to use 30,000 square feet of space for commercial purposes. Commerce Bank and Trust Co., a tenant since 1971, would continue to call Slater home.

WinnDevelopment and current owners Berkshire Bank have entered into an agreement in principle, according to Cafasso, although an official sale would not go through any earlier than next summer.

Cafasso could not say what the residential part of the building could look like, as “we have a pretty long way to go,” citing assessment work that will be done by the developers prior to considering a sale.

Cafasso added that WinnDevelopment would look to use historic tax credits to preserve the exterior of the building.

“It’s a great location, a building that has a lot of history in terms of contributing to Worcester’s growth,” said Cafasso. “If this goes through, it will continue to be great.”

The building gets its name from H.N. Slater Jr., a mill owner from Webster whose trustees funded the construction of the 10-story skyscraper. The Norcross Brothers, who built several other Worcester landmarks, developed the building.

To make room for its construction in 1907, the builders razed the Butman Block, a building on the west side of Main Street between Pearl and Elm streets.

History: The Slater Building, 390 Main St., Worcester

When erected, the Slater Building was the tallest in the city, towering over Main Street with its 135-foot Milford pink granite and buff Bedford Indian limestone structure.

One of the first businesses to call it home was Ware Pratt Co., a clothing company that drew customers from all around Central Massachusetts. The store folded in 1975 after running into financial difficulties that proved to be beyond repair.

Other tenants of the Slater building include Wood’s Woman Shop and the Putnam-Davis stationery. High-profile firms have also leased space, such as Guaranty Bank & Trust until 1971 and Commerce Bank and Trust Co.

Slater’s presence was such that in the 1970s the city considered moving into it almost all the state offices that were in Worcester. Although the talks were substantial, the plan never panned out.

The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Slater Building, in downtown Worcester, eyed by Winn for apartments