Historic former newspaper building in Woonsocket, R.I., back on the market mid-construction – The Boston Globe

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A downtown office building that was the home of the city’s newspaper for the last century has been under construction to become sleek, modern apartments with office co-working space. But this month, the project’s developers listed the four-story commercial block for $4.2 million, with hopes that a future owner can take it from here.

The listing is for 55-75 Main St., which is part of Woonsocket’s historic downtown district, and incorporates Harris Mill #4, the Buckland and Clark Building, and the Buell Building. Through its subsidiary 55 Main St LLC, NPM Main St. Holdings, LP, a real estate investment firm led by John Messier, purchased the combined property for $1.16 million in early 2023, according to real estate records.

Messier, developer and construction manager Leszek “Les” Przybylko, and their investors had begun carrying out plans to renovate the buildings into 73 residential apartments and eight commercial spaces.

But after starting initial construction, they’ve decided to put it up for sale in an effort to “consolidate funds to work on another project,” broker Dan Gardner told the Globe on Wednesday morning.

“The new buyer is to finish the project,” Gardner wrote in an email. “About 70 percent of the work still needs to be done.”

Gardner declined to provide any further details or answer questions related to any ongoing construction, the developer’s other projects, or funding gaps. Calls to Messier’s office were not returned ahead of publication.

Harris Mill #4 is a six-story early Victorian mill building that is the only remains of the historic Harris Woolen Company Mills, built in 1846 by the local industrialist and philanthropist Edward Harris. Attached to the old mill is the Buckland and Clark Building, a two-story structure with a yellow brick storefront facade that was first constructed in 1897. The developers planned to put most of the apartment spaces in this part of the complex, as well as some retail storefront space.

The Buell Building at 75 Main St., a four-story brick building, was long considered the home of the Woonsocket Call, a newspaper that was first founded in 1892. The paper once had to use the entire 31,200-square-food building to support its operations. The Call was acquired by Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers in 2007, and by 2023 it had just two news reporters and two sports reporters when it merged with the Pawtucket Times to become The Blackstone Valley Call & Times.

News articles in 2022 reported that the newspaper would remain in the property as part of a lease-back agreement. But on Wednesday, the property’s real estate listing said the building was vacant.

“The Call is no longer in that building,” publisher Jody A. Boucher told the Globe in an email on Wednesday. “We were asked to vacate for a brief time for construction purposes but were then told that the property was on the market again. Unsure of what the future would bring as far as the building was concerned, we relocated to a storefront on 154 Main St. directly across from City Hall.”

Boucher said the newspaper had “a skeleton crew” working in the building until late October 2023. Employees worked remotely until the paper relocated to its current offices in February 2024.

Mike Debroisse, the city’s director of planning and development, said he was made aware that the property would be listed for sale in the middle of construction, and that the department has already spoken to a couple of developers who are interested in purchasing the project as is.

It’s “great to see investors interested in Woonsocket,” Debroisse said.

First constructed in 1922, the Buell Building was designed by Westcott & Mapes, a New Haven, Conn., architectural firm, to house both a printing plant and editorial and administrative offices, according to preservation document with the US Department of the Interior. For years, little has been altered of the building’s Gothic Revival facade with its massive cast-stone central entrance and segmental arch.

The Buell Building’s remaining office and print shop space, which is located above and below the first floor, was expected to be converted into apartment space, a large gym, laundry, and shared areas for the tenants, according to the developer’s plans.

Messier and Przybylko told the city their rehab project would take approximately 18 months to complete, and would include a large rooftop.

The developers have also worked on a number of other downtown Woonsocket projects. In 2021, the pair purchased the former Father Marot CYO Center at 53 Federal St., and adjacent buildings at 77 Federal St. for $350,000, which they plan to turn into apartments.

In 2020, their renovation project at 122 North Main St. was named the recipient of a 2020 Rhode Island Smart Growth Award from Grow Smart RI. Its renovation was the first major mixed-use development located in the Woonsocket Downtown Overlay District, and included 17 modern, market-rate apartments on its upper floors. The building’s first floor holds Lops Brewing, the neighborhood’s first brewery, and co-working space.

Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.