Few municipalities outside of Boston can lay claim to as many economic development success stories as the city of Marlborough.
Ideally situated off I-495 and easily accessible through Routes 20 and 9, as well as the Mass Pike, Marlborough has benefited not only from its central location but from a political climate that strives to attract, grow, and retain a diverse portfolio of businesses.
The foundation for Marlborough’s commercial economic development achievements were laid throughout the 1970s and 1980s when significant investments were made in improving the city’s infrastructure. During the terms of Mayors Fred Cole and Edgar Gadbois, construction of the Westerly Wastewater Treatment Plant paved the way for expanded water and sewer capacity for a number of growing companies and developers in the western portion of the city.
During the term of my immediate predecessor, Nancy Stevens, close to $40 million worth of upgrades were made, allowing us to continue to meet the wastewater treatment needs of our commercial users.
Infrastructure Improvements
During the 1970s, major roadway and utility improvements were performed on one of Marlborough’s commercial epicenters at Forest Street and Simarano Drive. The infrastructure improvements helped transform narrow country roads with no utilities to fully functional systems, which nurtured our industrial growth over the last 40 years and will continue to do so for many years to come.
A second significant development to our industrial park was the creation of a second interchange at Simarano Drive off of I-495, which provides further access to our southwest quadrant. Until its construction, the only means of access to this area from the interstate was via the Route 20 interchange (which was already operating beyond its capacity). Thanks to the efforts of Mayor Michael Hogan in the early 1990s in getting this project permitted and under way, Marlborough’s foresight has us in an enviable position when it comes to attracting and retaining emerging businesses.
A shining example of this effort is the Solomon Pond Mall shopping center an economic engine that helped diversify Marlborough’s commercial base portfolio and provide an anchor to a burgeoning area of the city.
Our picturesque downtown area is also a product of one of our early master plans that began under Mayor Joseph Ferrechia. His focus on enhancing our downtown and continuing the work of our pro-growth policies in our city were essential to the progress made a decade earlier.
Beginning in the mid 1990s, Marlborough began utilizing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements to encourage investment, spark job creation, and provide businesses with a predictable tax rate in order to be competitive. As a former City Councilor, I had the pleasure of working on successful TIF agreements for companies like 3Com (since acquired by Hewlett Packard), Sunovian Pharmaceuticals, Dow Chemical, and Ken’s Foods. Marlborough’s mayor-council form of government allows us to be more responsive and efficient when it comes to capitalizing on economic development opportunities.
In 2007, Marlborough chartered its own economic development corporation through state legislation to spearhead all of the City’s economic development initiatives. Known as the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), this quasi-public agency is a public-private partnership operating as a 501(c) 6 nonprofit corporation with municipal and private investors working to foster economic development, job growth and community revitalization and development in the city. As the City Council president during this time, I proposed dedicating the local option hotels tax as a revenue source to fund the MEDC and all our future economic development initiatives. The MEDC is proving to be a reliable asset in what is still a recovering economy.
TJX Cos. Agreement
Marlborough’s most recent economic success story involves our agreeing to terms on a 20-year TIF agreement with The TJX Companies, Inc. to relocate to our city a significant portion of their operations to Marlborough. Their new home occupies an empty facility previously occupied by Fidelity Investments.
This achievement is owed to a collaborative effort between my office, the City Council, and the MEDC. Without us all working in tandem towards a common goal, our true potential would never be realized.
I’m extremely proud of what our city has been able to accomplish over the past four decades. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who made bold and difficult decisions so many years ago as we enjoy the fruits of their labor today. Our work continues, however, and difficult decisions always loom around the corner.
Since becoming mayor, I’ve made over 100 phone calls to companies in our city and personally made over 15 sites visits to some of our premier businesses to let them know Marlborough is serious about fostering a healthy, competitive business climate. I am confident that we will continue to make the best decisions to ensure the city of Marlborough remains at the forefront of Massachusetts’ economic development success stories.
Arthur Vigeant was a member of the Marlborough City Council from 1993-2011 and is serving his first term as mayor.
