Westfield Towers would ‘brand’ the city

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Westfield's proposed 100-foot towers are a combination of a masonry base, topped with a metal-mesh design and lights at the U.S. 31/Ind. 32 interchange. (Artist rendering)
Westfield’s proposed 100-foot towers are a combination of a masonry base, topped with a metal-mesh design and lights at the U.S. 31/Ind. 32 interchange. (Artist rendering)

As Westfield continues to grow and develop, Mayor Andy Cook wants to create an identity for the city to distinguish itself along U.S. 31.

The lights on the top will be color changing LEDs.
The lights on the top will be color changing LEDs.

The “Westfield Towers,” a pair of 100-foot towers, would provide a new iconic landmark for the city. Cook said the structure combines a masonry base with metal-mesh and a top with lights.

Cook said the double towers concept is the result the Grand Junction Task Force brainstorming.

“I asked them to come up with something impactful for the U.S. 31/Ind. 32 interchange. They’ve been working on this for a couple years,” he said. “We asked them to dream big and not be limited.”

A preliminary estimate has the towers costing $750,000 to $1 million each, but officials won’t have a firm cost until the project is bid in August. Cook said funding would come from the city’s sale of its water and wastewater utilities to Citizens Energy, which is currently before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The $91-million deal would be used to pay off utility debt and provide the city with $45 million to spend on local projects.

“The proceeds are being prioritized by the city council,” Cook said, adding the top three priorities are infrastructure improvements, roadway resurfacing and trail and park improvements. “The towers would not come at the expense of needed infrastructure improvements. If the sale doesn’t go through, you won’t see the towers.”

Cook said spending $3,000 to $5,000 in landscaping would not create the impactful image he wants Westfield to have for residents and guests.

“It’s a piece of art. There are going to be people that like it and people that don’t. I remember when we first put Redman downtown or did the mural (on Union Street Flowers),” he said. “The need for something impactful is because of the uniqueness (of the project). We’re trying to brand Westfield… Make an impact on visitors that says this is Westfield, Ind.”

The U.S. 31 Major Moves campaign, which will be built later this year through 2015 in Westfield, upgrades the highway to a freeway with interchanges replacing stoplights. The “Westfield Towers” will provide a permanent image to travelers where they are located.

“INDOT has been informed of our design and the base has already been bid and is part of the construction phase in 2014/2015,” he said. “The construction of the towers will take place during that construction or some time later. There’s obvious savings to constructing it concurrently.”

Once the Grand Park Sports Complex opens, officials estimate the city will see a drastic increase of visitors – up to a million. Cook also is working to draw regional and national tournaments as well as amateur and professional teams and wants to prepare the city if television networks come to town.

“Most networks, be it covering the Pacers, Colts, Final Four or Super Bowl, when they show shots of the city it’s Monument Circle. People recognize that as Indianapolis. We’d like to be able to accomplish the same,” he said.


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