Aurora Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1897-1898 at 652-660 Main Street in Worcester, this six-story hotel and store building was designed by the local firm Barker and Nourse for owner and builder Charles Stevens. Its upper five floors are faced in white marble, with two curved bays that were originally clad in copper and a projecting copper cornice. Decorative panels include a figure of Aurora in her chariot. The building is notable as a Classical Revival design from a firm more often associated with Romanesque Revival work. It began as a high-quality apartment hotel, and a $150,000 remodeling in 1929 made it one of downtown Worcester's premier hotels, a frequent site of social events and public gatherings. Storefronts were changed in 1929, 1937 and 1947, and the copper and much interior trim were sold off in 1982. The hotel closed that year and the city took the property for unpaid taxes. The exterior retains its overall integrity, and the building is listed for its architecture and its role in the city's hotel history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a well-preserved, high-quality example of Classical Revival commercial architecture and a major work of Barker and Nourse, a leading Worcester firm better known for Romanesque Revival designs. It is also important as one of downtown Worcester's premier hotels in the 1920s and 1930s. Criteria A and C are cited at the local level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000429, listed April 28, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 652--660 Main St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | April 28, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000429 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Barker and Nourse (architects); Charles Stevens (original owner and builder) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use listed as vacant; exterior fair to good, interior poor. The hotel closed in 1982 and the City of Worcester took it for back taxes. Plans call for conversion to 85 low-income housing units. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.25945, -71.80484 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000429.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4822559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.