Unforgettable views: Top of Worcester's Glass Tower has reopened as an event space
WORCESTER — From the 24th floor of the Glass Tower, the gleaming giant at 446 Main St. that tends to change colors depending on the day’s weather, floor-to-ceiling windows open up to a 360-degree view that reaches as far as Wachusett Mountain.
It’s one thing to know Worcester by getting to know its streets; it’s another thing to see the city from 289 feet up, watching it calmly wriggle with moving points, some faster than others.
The vantage point and the floor below it — a total of 10,000 square feet — recently reopened as a function space under the name Top of the Tower, following about $2 million in renovations by owner Synergy Investments, according to event manager Amy LeBlanc.
The space has already held a few events since its April 30 opening, according to LeBlanc, who on a recent visit pushed a cart loaded with folded tables as she prepared the room for another event later in the week.
While the space is available to anyone who would like to rent it for events, LeBlanc said it is not available for walk-in visitors.
Across the two spaces on the 24th and 23rd floors, the Top of the Tower has a capacity of 275 people, LeBlanc said.
“It's a really nice way to get people to the tippity-top and enjoy the view, have a couple drinks,” said LeBlanc. “The space has been opened back up to the public because it just gives such a spectacular vantage point to the city.
“It’s so gorgeous."
One can easily imagine the view becoming the main topic of conversation as attendees walk in, most likely choosing to approach the windows before taking a seat on the polka-dotted chairs.
From the north, eyes move from Wachusett Mountain onto other structures soaring such as the Fallon Health building, the lush core of Polar Park and the Skymark Tower at 600 Main St., which matches the height of the Glass Tower, the two tallest buildings in the city.
The view continues with City Hall, the green-capped buildings of Saint Vincent’s Hospital and everything red-bricked in between.
Out east, ambitious eyes can find a dark rectangle against the horizon that appears tiny between the hills.
“That’s the Prudential Center in Boston,” said LeBlanc, reacting with a smile to her guest’s amazement.
People have enjoyed the view from the Glass Tower’s highest floors for decades. It first opened in 1974 as the Plaza Club, a private, “invite-only” restaurant and bar.
The Plaza Club closed in March 1997, citing decreasing membership. At its peak, it had 250 dues-paying members, who dined on such dishes as salmon cakes, goose liver pate, escargot, veal Oscar and lobster casseroles, as the T&G reported in Dec. 2000.
The Glass Tower, also known as Worcester Plaza, sold for $16.5 million in 2019 to Boston-based Synergy Investments.
The building’s 24 floors are mostly used as office space; a child day care on its fourth floor.
In the city, Synergy also owns the 11-story building on Elm Street that is also known as the Fallon Health building, as well as an adjacent four-story building that it wants to convert into apartments.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Glass Tower top floors reopened as event space
