Worcester, MA Businesses in Wthe city celebrated achievements on May 20th, with the annual Worcester Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Ceremony. Among the award recipients was The Menkiti Group, a minority-owned Certified Business Enterprise founded with the mission to transform lives, careers, and communities through real estate, for both 6 Chatham St. and 401-405 Main St.
6 Chatham St., also known as Chatham Lofts, is a collection of 24 new luxury apartments in the Theater District that highlight the buildings unique architectural features. 401-405 Main St. has served as a home for generations of downtown businesses over the past 167 years, from well-known photographer E.B. Luce to Shacks Clothing, which occupied the corner of Main and Mechanic Sts. for nearly half a century, to Community Legal Aid, an essential community-serving non-profit organization which has called the building home for decades.
“At the time of their construction, both 401-405 Main St. and 6 Chatham St. were some of the grandest buildings in the city of Worcester and we believe that still holds true today,” said Mark Rengel, vice president of development at The Menkiti Group.
The Menkiti Group set out to reconstruct both city landmarks (401-405 Main St. and 6 Chatham St.) by paying respect to the architectural details of the original structure. Their goal is to restore the properties to their former splendor and breathe new life into the halls.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work our team at The Menkiti Group is doing to revitalize important, historic buildings in downtown Worcester. As real estate developers, we have a unique opportunity to give back in a transformative way. Through historic façade renovation of properties like 401-405 Main St. and 6 Chatham St., we are preserving the beautiful architecture that makes Worcester unique,” said Bo Menkiti, founder and CEO of The Menkiti Group.
Managing the renovation of 401-405 Main St. was Haynes Group, a commercial construction firm who combines quality construction with a level of personalized service. The team upgraded core building systems, constructed a new exterior storefront, and restored the historic façade. Detailed restoration of brick masonry, stone, wood, and cast-iron façade elements was accomplished by Raymond James Restoration with the guidance of architect Greg O’Connor.
“We were really excited to be part of the rehabilitation of this building right in downtown Worcester that has such a storied past, including Shack’s Clothes,” said Jim Russo, director of business development at Haynes Group.
“We are grateful for the meticulous restoration completed by local artisans Gregory J. O’Connor Associates Architects, Elton + Hampton Architects, Raymond James Restoration, Haynes Group, and R.P. Masiello who collectively breathed new life into the structures. 401-405 Main St. and 6 Chatham St. are significant pieces of downtown Worcester’s identity and I am proud to work with a team that is committed to preserving these impressive cultural resources for generations to come.” said Rengel.
Both properties received the Silver Hammer Award, a yearly award given by the Chamber to acknowledge construction or rehabilitation projects that provide an extraordinary impact on the physical landscape and assist in revitalizing the community.
“We are honored to have both projects recognized by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and presented with the Silver Hammer Awards,” said Menkiti “and we look forward to continuing our work restoring and revitalizing important buildings which play an enduring role in the continued renaissance of downtown Worcester.”
