A different building perspective...

[Dalmatian90]

What is this building?

Came into work the other morning a bit later than usual. Now, I've always noticed the building was unusual, but finally this morning it struck me as real unusual. It's an interesting exercise in looking a common building from a different perspective...

Gee Matt, that's an awful lot of fire escapes on the building.

The building has signs to keep the exits clear...

More interestingly, note there is no fold down ladders from the fire escapes! The empty into the building, to a doorway below them!

FYI, here is the other side of the building.

OK Folks, what kind of occupancy is this building?

[daysleeper47]

Wow...that sure is an odd building. We have a building like that back home that's a YMCA...except the fire escapes do drop to the street.

------------------
Joe
Daysleeper47
"When the bell goes ding-ding, its time to get on the woo-woo."
"Dusting desire - starting to learn. Walking through fire with out a burn..."

[Jake295885]

Looks like a theater..........

[SBrooks]

I was thinking it might be a theater too. Bunch of exits, no windows, multiple levels on the inside...but then again i doubt that a building that old (notice the exterior walls were once common walls) would be a theater that size...most old theaters were much smaller. Plus a theater does most of it's business at night, so I'd think the parking lot would be lit, i don't see any lights. The parking lot is too small for a large theater anyway, though there is a parking garage nearby.

The only other thing i can think of without windows would be cold storage or meatpacking, but why all the fire escapes? Also I don't see any loading docks. So I don't know what it is, and hope it doesn't catch fire.

[SRVFD2]

Dern if I know!! - How long before you give us the answer to this riddle Dalmation??

[troll911]

I'll go along with a theatre.

[Chief802]

Well, let's see. No loading docks or parts terminals to speak of, so I am going to rule out any type of manufacturing facility. Back during the war, some types of buisnesses that made clock parts and such for bombs were housed in buildings like these. You can usually tell them by the fire escapes like they are. People on the outside can't get onto them and enter the premises, but workers can get out if needed. Also, could be some type of prison or mental health facility from the same time frame. Looking forward to the answer.

[Fyrball105]

ok, think I'm going to be the oddball here, not that I disagree with any of above answers, but I looked at picture, then looked again, and a third time to be sure.... But looks like Government at work to me!!!!So I'll say some kind of government building

[This message has been edited by Fyrball105 (edited 01-26-2001).]

[Dalmatian90]

The answer is...

It is a theater. I'd imagine it was originally a stage (vaudville) theater...last movie I went to there was the first James Bond movie with Pierce Brosnan. It's closed now. If I remember right, it has some street level storefronts along Main Street.

I'd buy that it's a very large theater -- since it was the "downtown" theater for Worcester.

The parking lot I took the pictures from many years ago had other building there, that where slowly bought and torn down for the parking lot & parking garage for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

I don't know what the roof is like...but the wall give me a new appreciation for old stories of the mass-casualty theater fires -- there's no where for fire to vent except from the exits!

[DOG 4035]

It looks like the rear of a movie theater to me. Just my 2 cents...STAY SAFE, STAY LOW