Work paused Monday after workers discovered an active gas line

The giant claw tore sheets of metal off the old green monster warehouse on Liberty and Union streets Monday and Tuesday, in preparation for construction of 6 single-family townhouses that is part of a larger mixed use development at 461 Main St. The building was originally part of the old Ross Aker Furniture Store, which fronted on 461 Main. In more recent years, the warehouse with its entrance on Liberty Street was used as a boxing gym, an Alex & Ani sorting center and, more recently, just a large vacant space.

Only the metal warehouse portion of the complex is being taken down. The older building to the south will be rehabbed, keeping the commercial units on the first floor and adding resident units above. 

There was a bit of excitement at the site midday Monday when demolition workers heard the sound of gas leaking. A line that was thought to have been dead still had gas flowing through it. Police and fire officials arrived, followed by National Grid. According to Fire Chief Bernie Patenaude, there wasn’t supposed to be any gas in there. EGFD plugged the pipe and later Monday National Grid dug up the line and shut off the service and work resumed.

The town houses planned for Union Street.

The view of the renovated 461 building from the rear; Centreville Bank is to the right.

An aerial view of the 461 project, with the Main Street side in the foreground and the new townhouses at the top center of the photo.

From Alan Clarke: This set of buildings were between Greene and Union Streets. It was also known as The Dry Salters Mill and Hercules Powder Co. through the years. On the extreme left is the former Ross Akers and Gammons real estate offices. Obviously the other buildings and water tower are long gone. This photo by Stanley P. Mixon from the Library of Congress, American Memory Collection.

The scene by the end of the second day of demolition.