Former Marlborough Big Box Store Will Be Hub For Electric Vehicle Tech

MARLBOROUGH, MA — A long-closed sporting goods store in Marlborough will soon be taken over by a local technology company focused on improving the life of lithium-ion batteries.

Northborough-based Aspen Aerogels will take over the former Sports Authority building at 870 Donald Lynch Boulevard. The company will use the 56,000 square-foot building to work on its thermal barrier products, which are used in batteries that run electric vehicles.

The Texas-based real estate company McCord brokered the lease with Aspen Aerogels, according to a news release from the company. McCord also owns the Donald Lynch Boulevard property.

"Aspen Aerogels’ Advanced Thermal Barrier Center will focus on new product introduction of its industry-leading PyroThin thermal barrier technology and provide engineering support for e-mobility and battery energy storage system customers. Aspen Aerogels’ PyroThin thermal barrier materials are designed to maximize lithium-ion battery packs’ performance while optimizing for safety in electric vehicles," a McCord news release said.

The Sports Authority in Marlborough closed after the Colorado-based company filed for bankruptcy in 2016. The building has been closed ever since, although the seasonal Spirit Halloween store has used the space in the interim.