WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester Historical Commission unanimously denied a demolition delay waiver for the Hovey Laundry building at 27 Chandler Street.

The four-story building was one of the first of the new commercial buildings in the Chandler and Main street area when it was built in 1929, according to city records. 

During Thursday's meeting, the Historical Commission expressed concerns that the building's owners, real estate firm Benedict Canyon Equities, didn't have a solid plan in place as to what they would construct in its place and didn't provide enough information as to why the building couldn't remain and be redeveloped. 

Brothers G. Russell and Harry P. Hovey founded the Hovey Laundry in 1900. The business was one of the city' s major laundries during the first half of the 20th century and absorbed 20 other laundry businesses during its roughly 50 years in operation. Hovey Laundry employed 175 workers at its peak and operated 24 trucks offering regular pick-up and delivery service.

The Hovey Laundry went out of business in 1956, according to records, due to "no money in laundering anymore."

Benedict Canyon Equities purchased the building in January 2020 for $1 million under Chandler Owner LLC. The firm filed for a demolition delay waiver in October 2021. The firm also purchased the Sky Mark Tower, Worcester's tallest building, in 2019 for $29 million. 

The 2021 assessed value of the building is $352,900.

Architectual firm Lerner Ladds Bartels (LLB), on behalf of Benedict Canyon Equities, filed for the demolition delay waiver, citing ownership found "no economical uses of the existing structure..." and "...it is proposed to completely remove the existing building, foundation, and site improvements from this lot."

The building was recently home to O'Connell-Dickie moving and storage company. The sign for the business still hangs outside the building.