Aug. 22--BILLERICA -- The Billerica Mall will remain open after town officials gave its owners one month to come up with a plan to address the building's decrepit conditions.

Building Inspector Milton Kinney said New York City-based company RD Management has taken steps to repair the mall's leaking roof, mold and corroded parking lot. Town officials threatened to shut down the 480 Boston Road building last month if no repairs were made.

"They've come a long quite a bit," said Kinney. "They're cooperating, but there's still some more work to be done."

A new roof was put over the Burlington Coat Factory, the Dollar Tree and a portion of the corridor that connects the Burlington Coat Factor to K-Mart, said Kinney.

The inside of a former cinema was demolished and a study was conducted to determine if mold is present in the building.

Shrubs in the front of the parking lot were removed because the roots were getting in the way of gas lines, said Kinney. Mall owners are also planning to update the building's alarm and sprinkler systems.

Moisture from the mall's leaking roof has caused brown patches of mold to form on the ceilings of several of the businesses, most notably the Burlington Coat Factory.

"They've shown some good faith effort," said Kinney. "At this point we're happy with the progress."

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