WESTBOROUGH
M A S SAC HUS E TTS
A BUSINESS & COMMUNITY GUIDE
TOWN OF WE STB OROUGH
M ASSACHUSETTS
G
reetings from the Town of Westborough,
Massachusetts. It is my pleasure to welcome you
to our vibrant New England Town. Westborough is
a historic community established in 1717 as the OneHundredth Town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Historically, we were a farming community with a vibrant
manufacturing presence in the center of our downtown
producing straw hats and Sibley sleighs. Our industrial
expansion gave the town a larger and more diverse
population. The most dramatic expansion came with the
development of the Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate
495 which combined with Route 9 passing through town
placed Westborough at the crossroads of Massachusetts and the heart of New England. By
1975, land prices and easy access made our town an attractive location for such major companies
as Digital, Mass Electric, Cumberland Farms, Astra Pharmaceutical, Harvey Industries, and
EMC to name just a few.
Westborough offers a variety of housing styles with an average home sale value at approximately
400K. Our local school system is ranked in the top ten in the state. Together with our
advantageous location and quick access to Boston, less than 30 miles; Providence, 45 miles; and,
New York, 180 miles, Westborough has become a desirable location in New England.
Our single tax rate for both business and residential properties has helped to make Westborough
the fifth largest commercial base in Massachusetts. Eighty percent of the town is served by
public water and sewer. Our industrial parks feature first class office space and industrial land
zoned with access to commercial rail. In 2005, Money Magazine ranked Westborough as the
thirty-fifth best community in the nation!
If you are serious about starting a business or relocating an existing business, then you owe it to
your business and your employees to consider Westborough. Westborough is a great place to
live, work and play!
James Malloy
Westborough Town Manager
DEMOGRAPHICS
(source: *MA Dept of Labor;
** 2000 Census)
• Incorporated as a town: 1717
• Population: 18,732 (2005*)
• Land area: 20.52 sq. miles
• Population Density: 912 (2005*)
• Labor Force: 9,085* (in March 2009)
• Unemployment Rate: 4.1%* (avg. in 2008)
• Government: Open Town Meeting – Board of Selectmen - Town Manager
• Median age: 36.9**
TOWN HALL
34 West Main Street,
Westborough, MA 01581
www.town.westborough.ma.us
(508) 366-3030
LOCATION
Westborough is located in east central
Massachusetts less than 30 miles from Boston, 45
miles from Providence, 50 miles from Manchester,
NH, and 180 miles from New York City—truly, at
the "heart of New England." The region is well
connected by rail and highway to the ports, airports, and intermodal facilities of Boston and Providence. Three major cross-state highways intersect
in Westborough: the Worcester Turnpike (Route 9),
the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and I-495. In
addition, nearby I-190 links to the FitchburgLeominster area, and I-84 and I-395 connect to
Connecticut and points south.
MODES OF TRANSPORTATION
Rail: Conrail offers freight service to Westborough
and operates an auto transloading facility in the
town (617) 783-6222. The Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority (MBTA) has a commuter
rail station in Westborough at Smith Parkway &
Fisher Street with daily service west to Worcester
and east to Boston on the Framingham/Worcester
Line. www.mbta.com
Bus: Westborough is a member of the Worcester
Regional Transit Authority (WRTA), which provides
services for the elderly and disabled.
www.therta.com
Peter Pan Bus Lines provides service between
Worcester and Boston (including Logan Airport)
www.peterpanbus.com
Bay State Commons
This publication is
Published & Distributed by:
GDP
GLOBAL DESIGN & PUBLISHING LLC
860-963-0414 • [email protected]
www.gdpublishing.com
Other: The nearby Worcester Municipal Airport, a
Primary Commercial Service (PR) facility,
offers 2 asphalt runways over 5,000 feet.
www.ci.worcester.ma.us/air
All design and text is provided by Global Design & Publishing, LLC in collaboration with The Town of
Westborough, Massachusetts. All text and images have been carefully compiled for this publication.
However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of the content. Photography by: Jim Tourtellotte
(additional photos provided by Global Design & Publishing, LLC). Copyright ©2009,
Global Design & Publishing, LLC. Any reproduction without our written permission is prohibited.
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
3
BUSINESS & ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Westborough offers a number of competitive
advantages for businesses. First is undoubtedly
the town's location, in the heart of southern
New England's network of well-educated
population centers with excellent highway and
rail access and only 30 miles from Boston.
Another large benefit is the town's single tax
rate. Businesses do not pay a higher rate than
residential properties. This offers a significant
savings in the cost of doing business in Westborough. Westborough has the fifth largest
commercial base percentage in Massachusetts. In addition, 80% of the town is served
by public water and sewer, plus commercial
rail access is available for property in industrial parks and industrial zoned areas.
W
ith a location at the crossroads of several major transportation
networks in the fast-growing region known as Corridor Nine,
Westborough is an ideal location for business headquarters. Over the
years, Westborough has been home to manufacturing of items ranging from sleighs,
straw hats, and boots to today’s computer and telecommunications equipment. The
community has attracted high technology manufacturing and corporate headquarters as well as a wide mix of other commercial enterprises. Westborough has also
emerged as an important regional
center for office development, with 35
percent of its employment
devoted to the service sector. The
positive community climate welcomes
business growth on the one hand,
while encouraging use of open space
and attractive residential developments
for an appealing setting in which to live
and work.
Westborough’s population of about 18,000 residents enjoys fine schools, extensive
public services for all ages, and active recreation programs on its lakes, woodlands,
and playing fields. The town’s commuter rail station provides easy access to Boston
and Worcester. The community is known as a good place to live, with high levels of
community participation and pride in the town’s colonial history.
Join successful businesses already in
Westborough:
Astra Zeneca, Bay State Commons,
Cumberland Farms, DanaFilms,
E.L. Harvey, eClinical, EMC,
Fallon Clinic, Genzyme, Marriott,
National Grid, University of Pheonix,
Whittier Rehabilitation
DOWNTOWN PLANNING
OVERLAY DISTRICT
Located in the center of Westborough this
56-acre site (formally the site of Baystate
Abrasives Industrial Complex) contains
the new Baystate Commons and the old
Westborough historic train station, now the
office of Waterman Design, a local design
and engineering firm. Baystate Commons
is host to upscale retail stores & restaurants
such as Roche Brothers supermarket, Panera
Bread, Stein Mart, Boston Sports Club, TD
Banknorth, Ted’s Montana Grille and more.
In addition, there are 44 luxury condominiums in a building called Parkview on the
Commons. Baystate Commons has space
available for retailers looking for an upscale
location near Boston. For more information
contact: Gregg Saunders, Director of
Leasing, (917) 833-5915.
4
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
Mill Pond
LOCAL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
Corridor Nine Area Chamber
of Commerce
Corridor Nine's core towns of Westborough,
Northborough, Southborough, Shrewsbury,
and Grafton are known for their great
geographic accessibility and superb schools,
C O M P E T I T I V E A DVA N TAG E S
•Located in the heart of
Massachusetts. Easy access to the regional economy
•Single tax rate for both business and residential properties
•Fifth largest commercial base percentage in Massachusetts
•80% of the town is served by public water and sewer
•Industrial parks and industrial zoned land with access to
commercial rail
MONEY MAGAZINE
ranks Westborough as the
thirty-fifth best
community in the nation
Q UA L I T Y O F L I F E
•Top Ten Massachusetts school system ranking
•Numerous and diverse recreational facilities including
a municipal golf course and miles of public hiking trails
which have contributed to the development
of an exceptional quality of life. The Corridor
Nine Chamber formed from consolidation
of various local business organizations as
Central Massachusetts (the Route 9 corridor)
underwent substantial growth during the late
1990s. In January 2003, Corridor Nine officially became incorporated. The Chamber
provides networking (more than 24 events
held a year), marketing and promotion, and
referral opportunities, plus discounts, business
& development assistance, resources and
advocacy plus many other benefits to its
members. www.corridornine.org
Central Massachusetts
Convention & Visitor's Bureau
The Central Massachusetts Convention and
Visitors Bureau is responsible for promoting the Central Massachusetts region as a
convention and meeting site and a tourist
destination. It is the primary local source of
tourist information and industry news. The
website is a guide to the five unique regions
that constitute Central Massachusetts, including Westborough in the Corridor Nine area,
and includes general information plus listings
of accommodations, attractions, dining,
services and event/convention locations.
www.centralmass.org
University of Phoenix
BUSINESS RESOURCES
Massachusetts Office of Business
Development (MOBD) assists companies who want to locate, expand, grow,
or maintain a presence in Massachusetts.
Through nine offices and five industry specialists, MOBD works with companies and
municipalities to help them take advantage
of available economic incentive programs.
MOBD also assists companies in navigating
and accessing the technical, human, financial, training, educational and site-finding
resources necessary to expand or locate in
Massachusetts. www.mass.gov
MassDevelopment provides the financial
tools and real estate expertise needed to
stimulate economic growth across the state
of Massachusetts.
www.massdevelopment.com
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
5
Voted one of
Money Magazine’s
Top 100 Best Places
to Live in 2005.
W
estborough is a friendly,
community-minded place to
live and work. Not only does
the town offer a Civic Club
(www.westborocivicclub.com) that has
hosted social and fund raising events
since 1975, there is a club just for new
residents as well, the Westborough
Newcomers Club
(www.westboroughnewcomers.org).
In addition, the Westborough public school system is one of the best in Massachusetts. In 2008, US News & World Report ranked Westborough High School in the top
10% of public high schools in the state.
The town itself fares well in comparison to others nationwide. In 2005, Money
Magazine named Westborough the 35th best community in the nation in a
ranking of the Top 100 Best Places to Live. And while Westborough has easy access
to numerous retail stores, restaurants (over 1,500 within 15 miles!) and services, it
also has plentiful and diverse recreational facilities, including a municipal golf course
and miles of public hiking trails.
WESTBOROUGH
COUNTRY CLUB
Owned by the town,
Westborough Country Club
features a public 9-hole par 36
golf course offering a range
of tournament play as well as
family oriented play. Amenities include a clubhouse (with
meeting room and locker facilities), pro shop and restaurant,
Mulligan’s Taverne, serving
lunch and dinner daily.
westborocountryclub.com
6
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
The Westborough Charm Bracelet
The Westborough Charm Bracelet is a
planned network of trails throughout Westborough that was begun in 2000 by the
Westborough Community Land Trust and the
town's Open Space Preservation Committee.
The network is a work in progress but through
the use of existing trails in town and the construction of extensive new trails, a significant
portion of the work has been completed. Trail
maps for about 18 different locations can be
found at www.westboroughcharm.org.
A few of the most popular trails:
Fisheries and Wildlife to Cedar Hill
Reservation Trail: This 4.5 mile section of
trail connects land parcels that comprise one
of the largest open space areas in Central
Bay State Commons
SHOPPI NG & DI N I NG
Ted’s Montana Grill
Massachusetts, including the 427-acre
Westborough Wildlife Management Area.
The trail also passes through Crane
Swamp and Orchard Swamp
properties, with a self-guided
nature trail.
The Mill Pond Boat Ramp
Area: Include a trail along the
shores of the SuAsCo (Sudbury/
Assabet/Concord Rivers) impoundment
pond (also known as Mill Pond) and also
provides access to local neighborhoods
along West Main Street, including Mill Pond
Park, a new 26-acre town park.
Bowman Conservation Area: This 144acre protects Westborough’s public water
supply. It includes a beautiful shoreline trail
around Sandra Pond Reservoir and trails into
the Bowman Conservation Area (home to
more than 60 varieties of wildflowers). From
here one can follow the Charm Bracelet and
connect with Fay Mountain
Westborough Community Land Trust
The Westborough Community Land Trust
(WCLT) is a private, nonprofit established in
1997 to preserve open space in response
to increasing development pressures. The
WCLT has preserved more than 125 acres of
land and acts as stewards for close to 400
acres in Westborough. In addition to land
acquisition, they are involved in trail building,
mapping and maintenance; educational programs (including nature walks, canoeing and
other programs); and advocacy for open
space and safe waterways.
www.westboroughlandtrust.org
Public Parks & Recreation
Westborough has many neighborhood
parks. These contain a variety of
amenities ranging from "tot lots"
to basketball and tennis courts.
The new 26-acre Mill Pond
Park on West Main Street
offers opportunities for passive
recreation, tennis and direct
access to SuAsCo Resevoir for
fishing and boat launching. This park
Corridor Nine is a regional shopping
destination, with everything from largescale retail stores and shopping plazas to
specialty stores plus thousands of dining
options, from fast food to world-class
restaurants.
Located just one block from
Westborough’s historic district, Bay State
Commons is an upscale, mixeduse retail and residential development.
It features 250,000
sq ft of retail and
restaurants, including
Roche Brothers Grocers, Ted’s
Montana Grill, SteinMart discount
retailer, and Boston Sports Club, to
name a few. It also contains 44 residential
luxury condominiums and access to the
two-acre Bay State Green Park. Bay State
Commons’ village-like atmosphere was
designed to blend in with Westborough’s
sense of history and community.
w w w. b o s t o n w e s t b o r o u g h . d o u b l e t r e e . c o m
We are a 223 room full service hotel. Accommodations include, an indoor pool, precor
fitness center, restaurant, lounge, outdoor patio dinning, car rental, grab and go gift shop,
and a 24 hour business center. Refrigerators and microwaves available upon request.
Airport Shuttle Service Available • 10 Minutes from the Boston Commuter Rail
5400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01581
Tel: 1-508-366-5511 Fax: 1-508-870-5965
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
7
connects to the Westborough Charm Braclet.
Open to Westborough and Northborough
residents, Lake Chauncy Beach offers a
sandy beach, lifeguards, floating dock, picnic
tables, playground area, and bathrooms.
Seasonal passes and swim lessons are available.
The Recreation Department offers an
extensive series of activities for all ages year
round. Programs are changed seasonally and
include sports (teams, clinics & lessons), arts
& crafts, science & computer classes, swim
lessons, playground programs and more.
Local Farm Businesses – carrying
on Westborough's agricultural
heritage…
Nourse Farm
The 140-acre Nourse Farm is the 10th oldest
continuously operating family business in the
country. Visit the 1722 farmstead and pick
your own blueberries and strawberries. Their
retail store, open June–December, offers
seasonal fresh fruits & vegetables, jams, pies,
and other specialty products.
www.oldenoursefarmgourmet.com
Uhlman Farms Ice Cream Stand
Once known as "Milk Town" for its many
dairy farms, Westborough was down to just
one by 1975--Uhlman's. In 1996, a barn
fire destroyed the dairy but the popular ice
cream stand lives on. Serving homemade,
farm-fresh ice cream from April to October.
www.oldenoursefarmgourmet.com
Green Thumb Nursery
This family business (since 1950) offers
perennials, annuals, local produce and has a
petting zoo at 185 Turnpike Road (RT 9).
W
estborough’s long history includes
being the birthplace of one of the
fathers of the Industrial Revolution. Eli
Whitney, Jr., was born in Westborough in
1765 and invented the cotton gin in 1795.
He also helped introduce mass production
to the United States at his Whitney Arms
Company in New Haven, CT, in the early
1800s.
HISTORY & CULTURE
Westborough has several National Register Districts including the West Main Street
Historic District and its extensions, the
Vintonville Historic District and the Cedar
Swamp Archaeology Historic District.
Cedar Swamp is the largest
remnant of glacial Lake Assabet.
In the 1980s, archaeological
research identified 42 sites with
evidence of prehistoric occupation
by native people and led to the
entire 2,600-acre area being listed
on the National Register
of Historic Places.
Several individual properties are also
listed on the National Register.
The Westborough Historical Society
was founded in 1889. Today its home is
the 1844 Greek Revival at 13 Parkman
Street, built by sleighmaker William Sibley.
Monthly programs spotlight Westborough's history and an annual school
program provides in-class presentations,
a town bus tour, and a visit to the Puritan
cemetery and Sibley House for every third
grade student.
The Westborough Players Club (WPC)
is a non-profit, volunteer organization
dedicated to producing quality entertainment for community theater audiences.
Since 1936, the WPC has produced and
enjoyed 130 shows, including comedies,
classics, mysteries and musicals. The WPC
offers an annual scholarship for students
pursuing a career in the arts. Monthly
meetings include activities, improvisations,
and sometimes guest speakers.
www.westboroughplayers.com
8
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
Westborough Community Chorus
Founded in 1971, the chorus rehearses
weekly and presents two shows a year. The
only requirement for membership is a love of
singing. Proceeds from shows fund scholarships to assist students with private music
lessons.
www.westborough.com/communitychorus
Westborough Public Library
Westborough Library services include
Children's Room, Young Adult Room, Reference Department, Westborough Room (local
history/genealogy), Periodical/Reading
Room, and Adult Services Department. A
wide range of programs, including book
discussion groups, public speakers, children's
activities and story hours are offered to the
public. www.westboroughlib.org
In addition to strong academic
programs, Westborough Schools excel
in athletics and fine arts, both visual
and performing. US News & World
Report gave Westborough High School
a “Silver” level ranking in its 2009 list
of “America’s Best High Schools.”
Westborough High was one of only 27
schools in Massachusetts to earn this.
Rankings were based on Standard &
Poor’s School Evaluation Services analysis
of more than 21,000 schools nationwide.
Mill Pond School
EDUCATION
Westborough
Public Schools
The Westborough
Public School
System educates approximately 3,500
students in the town's six schools, including
three elementary schools, two middle schools
and one high school. Graduation rates in the
high school are consistently above 95% and
the vast majority of these graduates attend a
four-year college. The student/teacher ratio
in 2007 was 14 to 1. Enthusiastic community
involvement is evident in support organizations such as the Westborough Athletic Boosters Association (www.westboroughboosters.
com), the Westborough Music Parents
Association and the Westborough Education
Foundation (financially supports additional
educational programs and fund grants for
"innovative initiatives above and beyond the
base curriculum requirements".)
westborough.ma.schoolwebpages.com
Assabet Valley Regional Technical
High School
Located in Marlborough, Assabet serves the
towns of Berlin, Hudson, Maynard, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough,
educating about 900 students plus post-graduates in day/evening programs and students
of all ages in "Assabet After Dark" evening
programs. Assabet students specialize in a
technical program after exploring a variety
of areas. Technical studies are balanced with
a rigorous academic schedule. Graduates
receive a diploma plus a certificate of proficiency in their technical areas. They enjoy
both college and career placement services,
including co-ops that allow highly qualified
students to begin careers in their senior year.
www.assabettech.com
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
9
Spa Tech Institute
Spa Tech Institute is a NACCAS-accredited
facility that trains students for careers in
Holistic Health, Cosmetology and Spa
Services. The school offers classes in a wide
variety of spa, beauty and wellness treatments and therapies, including an aesthetics
program and massage and energy therapies.
With five locations in New England, Spa
Tech provides students with the skills and
inspiration needed to become successful
professionals in salons, spas, clinics or
private practice.
www.spatech.edu
Westborough High School
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
With its proximity to Worcester and Boston,
Westborough is conveniently located near
many of the nation's best schools of higher
education, from Ivy League universities to
state schools, private 2- and 4-year colleges to art, music and technical schools.
Westborough employers benefit greatly from
this highly educated workforce within easy
recruiting distance.
The following educational institutions
make Westborough their home:
Porter & Chester Institute
The Westborough Campus of the Porter &
Chester Institute offers fully accredited technical training in Automotive, CADD, Computer
Networking, Dental Assisting, Electrical,
HVACR, and Medical Assisting. Since
1946, Porter & Chester Institute schools have
provided education and training for students
in technical, business, and health related
occupations. www.porterchester.com
University of
Phoenix
The University of
Phoenix offers undergraduate and graduate
programs in business, education, nursing,
technology and human services online and at
campuses nationwide. Westborough is home
to the Central Massachusetts campus. The
school was founded in 1976 with the mission
of making higher education highly accessible
for working students. Today, University of
Phoenix is the largest private university in
North America, with nearly 200 locations
plus online access. It offers more than 100
degree programs at the associate's,
bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.
www.phoenix.edu
HEALTHCARE
Marlborough Hospital/
UMass Memorial - Marlborough Hospital provides a wide range of inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and ancillary services plus a state-of-the-art Emergency Department. As a member of UMass Memorial, Marlborough Hospital provides patients with
the advanced medical resources of UMass Memorial, a nationally recognized academic
medical center, and the only designated Level One Trauma Center for adults and children
in Central Massachusetts. www.umassmemorial.org
The Willows at Westborough - Since 1987, The Willows is an independent living facility
and retirement community for active seniors. Owned and operated by the Salmon Health
and Retirement, a 3rd generation family business caring for the elderly in Natick,
Northborough, Northbridge, Westborough and Worcester. www.salmonfamily.com
Westborough Healthcare Center - In addition to long term care and rehab,
Westborough Healthcare Center offers an Alzheimer's unit, complex wound care,
post-acute care, transitional care and nutrition services. www.westborohealthcare.com
Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital - Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital, Westborough is an
88-bed acute rehabilitation hospital that provides services to patients with multiple medical complications and those who require specialty care and continuous monitoring or
require a longer length of stay. www.whittierhealth.com
10
WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
Carruth Capital, llc
For all your Commercial
Real Estate Needs.
• Available office space for large and small businesses.
• Build-to-suit capabilities for up to 1 million square feet.
• “Flex” Industrial and Manufacturing space available now.
• Westborough’s largest provider of office/manufacturing/industrial space.
“Building a better Westborough for over 17 years.”
Carruth Capital, llc
For more information contact:
Marc Verreault – Senior Vice President • [email protected]
116 Flanders Road, Suite 2000 • Westborough, MA 01581
Phone (508) 898-3800 • Fax (508) 898-3005 • www.carruthcapital.com