The Carando building at Worthington and Taylor streets in downtown Springfield is being demolished in phases. In 2012, it was among numerous buildings damaged by a natural gas explosion. Watch video
SPRINGFIELD -- Demolition work is advancing at the Carando Building at Worthington and Taylor Street, which had been damaged in a downtown gas explosion more than five years ago.
Peter Carando III, a family representative, said that demolition is occurring in phases and one section of the building on Taylor Street is not being razed at this time.
The owners, who are listed as Dino, Ramon and Peter F. Carando Jr., expect to seek a tenant for the remaining building, and the demolished area will be cleared and used for parking, Carando III said.
Charlie Arment Trucking was hired for the demolition work.
A natural gas explosion occurred on Worthington Street in November of 2012, injuring 21 people including 13 firefighters and two police officers, and causing millions of dollars in damage. It was triggered when a Columbia Gas employee accidentally punctured a gas line while probing a leak.
One building, Scores Gentlemen's Club on Worthington Street, was leveled by the explosion shortly after it was evacuated. Several other buildings were severely damaged and some still sit vacant a half-decade later.
But some developments in the blast zone have shown promise for that section of downtown Springfield. Davenport Companies of Boston, purchased the former Willys-Overland Motor Co. building at 151 Chestnut St. and plans 60 apartments renting at about $1,000 a month along with around 6,000 square feet of retail space.
The SilverBrick Group also recently purchased the former Springfield YMCA at 122 Chestnut St. for $4.8 million, which currently houses 99 apartments. The Manhattan-based company already owns 280 apartments at SilverBrick Lofts in downtown Springfield, having bought the former Morgan Square Apartments on Main Street in 2014 for $9 million.