- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Northampton Today
By the People, for the People
Northampton Demolition Clears Way for Redevelopment
Drone footage shows scale of major town center project after M&S and BHS buildings razed.
Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:48pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Demolition of vacant department stores clears the way for a major redevelopment project in downtown Northampton.Northampton TodayNew drone images have revealed the extensive demolition work completed at the former Marks & Spencer and BHS retail sites on Abington Street in downtown Northampton. The large-scale clearance project is the first step in a major redevelopment plan for the town center.
Why it matters
The demolition of these long-vacant department store buildings marks a significant turning point for Northampton's downtown, which has struggled with high retail vacancies in recent years. The redevelopment project aims to revitalize the area and attract new businesses and residents to the city center.
The details
Marks & Spencer and BHS both closed their Northampton locations in the early 2020s, leaving the large retail spaces vacant. After acquiring the properties, the city initiated a demolition project to clear the site for future redevelopment. Drone footage shows the scale of the demolition, with the former store buildings completely razed to the ground.
- The demolition work was completed in April 2026.
- Marks & Spencer closed its Northampton store in 2021.
- BHS shuttered its Northampton location in 2020.
The players
Northampton
The city of Northampton, Massachusetts, which owns the former Marks & Spencer and BHS properties and is overseeing the redevelopment project.
Marks & Spencer
A major British retailer that closed its Northampton department store location in 2021.
BHS
A British department store chain that shut down its Northampton store in 2020.
What’s next
The city of Northampton will now move forward with plans to redevelop the cleared site, though details on the specific plans have not yet been announced.
The takeaway
The demolition of these long-vacant department stores marks a critical step in Northampton's efforts to revitalize its struggling downtown and attract new investment and activity to the city center.
