MicroChem Buys HQ

The specialty chemical manufacturer anticipates fully moving in by December.

A specialty chemical manufacturer has purchased its new corporate headquarters and expects to fully occupy it by December. MicroChem expects to start testing its manufacturing process for larger companies during the third quarter of this year, President and CEO Jay Cole told Westborough Patch on Friday. The firm closed the deal on a 76,000-square-foot, two-story building at 200 Flanders Road around Dec. 26, Cole said. Hero Flanders Road Family Limited Partnership sold the site, which includes space for expansion. MicroChem paid $5.4 million for the site, according to the Boston Business Journal. MicroChem will move nearly all of its operations here from about 20,000 square feet of leased space in Newton, and expand at the new site. However…

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Developer: Materials Storage Plans Will Drop Housing Project's Values

Selectmen approved the storage license Tuesday night.

A group of $600,000 and up homes will decline in value considerably due to an unexpected next-door-neighbor, the developer says. MicroChem Inc. will be licensed to store 45,000 gallons of flammable and combustible materials at its new facility at 200 Flanders Road. Selectmen approved the license Tuesday night after a public hearing at Westborough Town Hall. Trask Development Founder and Owner Ben Stevens said the plan is “a little disconcerting, because we’re proposing to build $600,000 (and) $700,000 houses here and I don’t think I can sell them for $400,000 after this plan is permitted.” Stevens said that “I think we would have an obligation to disclose to any homeowners that are living there that this is being stored next to them.” “We …

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Westborough Voters OK Tax Deals for Two Companies

The special town meeting was held Tuesday night.

Westborough voters Tuesday night granted two businesses 15-year tax breaks as incentives for bringing an estimated total $1.6 million in additional taxes, and 83 total new jobs, here over that period. The voters at the special town meeting nearly unanimously approved the tax increment financing agreements for MicroChem Inc. and Danafilms Inc. The votes also allow selectmen to create an economic opportunity area for both businesses. The session in the Westborough High School auditorium lasted about 75 minutes. The proposed tax deals, which start next July 1, were the only warrant articles. Selectmen will finalize the paperwork on the agreements at their next meeting, for submitting to the state, Town Manager Jim Malloy has said. Both firms …

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Steven Buttiglieri

9:52 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012

I am referring to tax bills. I believe my source, though admittadly unscientific, is still accurate. We moved to Westboro in 2001, and in 2010 (after 10 years) I noticed our property tax bill had more than doubled. Using the Rule of 72, I knew that meant it went up an ave of 7.2% per year. I then asked about a dozen people I know from around town to check their tax bill from 2001, and all but 1 …   more ›

Patch Facts

5 Things: It's Special Town Meeting Time

The session is at 7 tonight.

Each morning, Westborough Patch presents “5 Things You Need to Know,” a collection of announcements, events, reminders and odd little ditties to help you organize your day. What will you be doing today? 1. Remember: the special town meeting is at 7 p.m. at Westborough High School. Two proposed tax increment financing deals are the only warrant items. 2. Who will win the Westborough Men's Softball championship? The Westborough House of Pizza and Uno's play Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Haskell Street Recreation Area. Game 3 is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. 3. Westborough Patch is looking to profile someone who has an interesting job or whose career has been affected by the recession. Send suggestions to michael.gelbwasser@patch.com. 4. Speaking of …

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Westborough Town Meeting Presentation Posted on Town Manager's Blog

The special town meeting is Tuesday night.

Westborough voters can see Town Manager Jim Malloy's PowerPoint presentation to next Tuesday night's special town meeting right now. Thursday, Malloy posted the 12-page document on his blog on the town's website. Two proposed 15-year tax increment financing agreements are on the warrant for Tuesday's meeting at 7 p.m. in the Westborough High School auditorium. One would go to MicroChem Inc. and the other to Danafilms Inc. Malloy said Thursday he'll share with voters "what the companies do; where they're locating; during the term of the TIF, what the estimated tax revenue, the increased revenues will be for the town, as well as how much the tax break that they get." "I always try to point out on these TIFs: it's not that they're getting a …

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