Dan Rourke shared some photos of the ongoing renovations by Middlesex Community College to Lowell’s historic Boston & Maine building at 240 Central Street. MCC is constructing an academics art center within the façade of the building. When completed, the $19mil renovation will yield a 177-seat performance theater on the first floor and a musical recital hall and classrooms for dance, music and theater on the second floor.

Constructed in 1876 as the Boston & Maine Railroad Depot, was used for that purpose for only two decades until all passenger train traffic was shifted to the new depot on Middlesex Street (where the Lord Overpass now stands). Since then, the building has been used as a theater, a bowling alley, retail space, and has stood vacant for many years.

As the photos make clear, the current renovations are extensive.

Photos by Dan Rourke