Then & Now: Wilfred Academy, 526 Main St., Worcester

When the state decided to build a new Registry of Motor Vehicles building between Main and Southbridge streets in downtown Worcester, it negotiatied to buy a few buildings that were on the targeted land. They would be razed.

One of the building owners was Leo Siroonian, longtime owner of a beauty salon and, later, a beauty school. He bought the Barr's Bargains building at 203 Southbridge St. in 1967, moving his growing enteprise from Commercial Street.

After the state came calling in 1980 - followed by much haggling, in and out of court - Siroonian was on the move again. After checking out several spots in downtown Worcester, he bought a two-story building at 526 Main St., at the corner of Chatham Street.

The building dates to 1894, built by Ransom F. Taylor, who followed his father, Ransom C. Taylor, into the real state business. The younger Taylor lived in a large house on Oak Street in Worcester.

At the time Siroonian bought the property on Main Street, the building was home to the Red Baron Restaurant, Mac-Ben Sporting Goods and Liggett Drug Store. Leo's Beauty Institute was set up on the second floor.

The building - shown in this week's Then photo - soon took on a new look. In January 1982, Wilfred Academy, which ran a chain of beauty schools, bought Siroonian's beauty school business. Before long, Wilfred expanded into other parts of the building.

The beauty school remained the building's main occupant for less than a decade, when the Worcester operation was bought by the Learning Institute for Beauty Sciences, based in Hempstead, New York. At the time, Wilfred was under investigation for student loan fraud.

The Learning Institute soon gave up the spot. Over the years, the building was home to a range of businesses and offices. By then, the building was in the hands of a holding company, with partners that included Philip Shwachman, owner of several commercial properties in the city.

In 1993, City Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes, a mayoral candidate, had a campaign office in the building. The Money Stop check cashing and pawn shop business moved in. The Muse Bar & Kitchen took over the Red Baron spot.

Owners had trouble keeping and attracting tenants in recent years.

The building was back in the news recently, when The Menkiti Group, owner of several properties in downtown Worcester, announced it had finalized its takeover of 526 Main St. The property had been in the hands of MassDevelopment.

Last week Then & Now: Burgess-Lang Building, 54 Commercial St., Worcester

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Then & Now: Wilfred Academy, 526 Main St., Worcester