The Loop opening delayed until 2010
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Northborough - Kevin Giblin, developer of the Loop shopping center slated to be built at the intersection of routes 9 and 20 on land formerly owned by Anthony "Spag" Borgatti, said he has decided to delay opening the 575,000-square-foot outdoor mall for 18 months in order to land a high-profile tenant.

Giblin, owner of Brendon Properties LLC, made his comments on the second night of Northborough's Town Meeting, April 29, in the auditorium of Algonquin Regional High School. He was in front of Town Meeting seeking the town's approval for an additional license to sell wine and malt beverages in a retail package store.

Giblin, a former Northborough resident, made it clear he was not seeking another pouring license for the Loop. He said he was requesting the additional package storetype license at the request of a potential tenant, who would need one should it decide to set up shop in the development. The request was approved by the Town Meeting audience.

As for the high-profile tenant, Giblin declined to reveal its identity, but said it was the type of tenant that would "set the standard" and lead other similar highprofile businesses into the development.

Giblin said he anticipated the announcement of the tenant, as well as four others, to be made sometime this summer. The only confirmed tenant for the project is Kohl's Department Store, which has already signed a letter of intent.

Giblin explained that the Loop's opening would be delayed because building construction, expected to begin this fall, would not begin until June 2009. The building construction will be delayed because the unnamed bigticket client does not want to move in and open until the fall of 2010.

When he began the process of bringing the Loop to Northborough, Giblin said at many Zoning Board of Appeals and Board of Selectmen meetings that he was shooting for a soft opening in the fall of 2008 and a grand opening in the spring of 2009.

During his presentation requesting the additional package store license, Giblin was asked by a town resident if the Loop project had stalled.

"We've already spent $32 million on this project," Giblin said. "We've already paid the town $200,000 in mitigation money. We've already spent $6 million putting in water and sewer connections along Route 20. We would not have done any of that, let alone all of it, if the project was in trouble."

Another resident expressed concern about the project because talk about it not going forward was "all over town."

"That's the kind of stuff that gets started in barber shops and bars," Giblin said. "The project is going forward. Maybe not as fast as we would like. Maybe not as fast as the town would like. But it is going forward. Drive down Route 20 and take a look. You'll see activity on the site. You'll see traffic being detoured because of the water and sewer work. Everyone in town will use part of this project when it is finished."