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The department store's owner, HBC, along with Streetworks Development, presented their plan for the 730,000-square-foot space and municipal lots known as "One Westfield Place" at the Westfield council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 20.
Mayor Shelley Brindle said the project could be historic, and is the culmination of more than three years of collaboration and community input. Brindle noted an increased urgency to revitalize the downtown after the longtime department store closed in 2020.
HBC and Streetworks Development have been working with township officials and residents since 2019 to come up the development plan proposed this week, which includes:
- 100,000 square-feet of next-generation, flexible Class-A office space through the adaptive reuse of the former Lord & Taylor building
- State-of-the-art mass timber building that offers 210,000 square-feet of Class-A office and amenities to benefit employees
- A total of 27,000 square-feet of street-level retail distributed across the development
- 154 high-quality residential apartments and townhomes targeted to 55 and older residents
- 69 residential apartments catering to families and young professionals
- Affordable housing units planned in accordance with housing requirements in both Westfield and the state of New Jersey
- Two new parking garages for public use on North Avenue and South Avenue that can accommodate over 450 vehicles
- Expertly designed and landscaped Town Green and Town Square, north and south of the Train Station, to be revitalized public spaces that enable significantly enhanced community programming and to feature tree-lined green spaces, seasonal planters, water features, and improved pedestrian and vehicular access
- Comprehensive streetscape and sidewalk improvements including the beautification of Quimby Street
- A state-of-the-art mobility hub connecting the north and south sides of the Train Station that improve access to alternative modes of transportation with features including ride sharing, bike stations, storage, and pickup/drop-off service locations
"The proposal from HBC l Streetworks Development is just the beginning of a conversation, not a final presentation," the mayor said.
A redevelopment plan will be put together in conjunction with Westfield's planning and zoning boards. But first, additional public input is needed.
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