The Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. building was constructed in 1906 and covered an entire city block on Franklin Street. The original structure measured , and stood high. The warehouse was built to store western dressed beef from cattle slaughtered in the stock yards of Chicago, which could be shipped east in refrigerated rail cars at a lower cost than shipping livestock. The interior consisted of six storage levels and a basement. The warehouse was served by a rail siding to the rear, operated by the Boston and Albany Railroad.