Developer Michael A. Treanor might no longer be classified as MIA, but the status of his plans to restore the Woolworth Building remains unknown.

For months, city officials have been trying to find out if Mr. Treanor has made progress on the project to convert the Public Square landmark into apartments. They were hoping to set up a meeting with Mr. Treanor later this month to talk about the $7.275 million project, but he never got back to them.

But City Manager Mary M. Corriveau ran into the developer last week outside his building, she told members of Advantage Watertown on Thursday morning. He was with a group of men walking around the exterior of the building, leading Advantage Watertown members to speculate that the men may have been investors checking out the property.

“I don’t know what they were doing,” Mrs. Corriveau said, adding that she spoke briefly with him.

Kenneth A. Mix, the city’s planning and community development coordinator, said Mr. Treanor has yet to schedule the meeting on the project’s progress.

On Jan. 20, Mr. Mix talked to him on the phone to set up the meeting. In the telephone call, Mr. Treanor said that new members of his team would join him.

Mr. Mix still cannot say whether Mr. Treanor is having financial problems getting the project started. It would include 20 apartments on the upper floor and a mixture of retail or restaurants on the ground floor.

On Thursday, Advantage Watertown members reiterated their concerns about losing a $1.82 million Restore New York grant if the developer failed to move forward soon.

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