Looking ahead: Mayor talks Grand Junction Plaza completion, Jersey Street expansion and more

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Cook

Mayor Andy Cook said Westfield plans to build on 12 years of progress in 2021.

“When you bundle together all of our projects and initiatives, I think we have built one of the most desirable cities in Indiana, which is proven by the number of people coming to Westfield,” Cook said.

Building permits for Westfield reached a record high in 2020. Cook estimates there were approximately 1,200 new permits.

“What we’ve built over the past 12 years is really showing dividends, so our efforts in the coming years, especially in ’21, will be to capitalize on what we’ve built,” Cook said.

Some of those projects include:

Grand Junction Plaza:

The city’s target open date for the Grand Junction Plaza is December 2021.

“The Grand Junction Plaza is well under construction. We will be having a public walk-through, hopefully in January or February, where we can actually take tours behind the curtain surrounding that area so people can see what exactly this is really going to look like,” Cook said.

Cook said although Grand Junction Plaza isn’t finished, the project is already attracting businesses and developments.

“Because of this project, Park Street has created a unique reputation for downtow Westfield and (it) is booming,” Cook said.
Cook said Remedy, a new sister shop to the plant shop Root 31, and a new unannounced restaurant are slated for the building previously occupied by Rail as new businesses in the Park Street area.

Other downtown projects include an expanded and revised version of the Old Town Development Group’s Union Square project – a mixed-use project on Union Street and Ind. 32.

“That is slated to start construction this spring, and in January (Old Town Design Group) will announce an expanded project,” Cook said. “We have at least two other (unnamed) developments ready to bring projects forward in the downtown area, so we are already receiving a return on investment and we haven’t even opened (Grand Junction Plaza) yet.”
Cook also said the city will address the need for a parking garage in downtown Westfield in 2021.

Road projects

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The preferred route for the Ind. 32 expansion. (Submitted image)

The City of Westfield and the Indiana Dept. of Transportation recently announced the preferred route for the Ind. 32 expansion through downtown Westfield. Cook said 2021 will see public hearings for the project, and construction will likely begin in 2023 or 2024.

Another major road project is the Jersey Street expansion. Jersey Street is under construction between Mill and Union Streets, and the street will extend to East Street east of Union Street.

“In about two to three months, we will be announcing the route location for the Jersey Street expansion, which we hope to get under way and get that finished the year prior to (Ind.) 32 construction,” Cook said. “We are expanding it from Union Street east and then it turns north into a new roundabout being constructed at 32 and East Street.”

Grand Millennium Center

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A rendering of the Grand Millennium Center. Mayor Andy Cook said there are no commitments for the development yet, but the new Westfield Boulevard has drawn interest. (Submitted rendering)

 

Although no commitments have been made for Grand Millennium, an approximately $200 million development on 66 acres at 169th Street and U.S. 31, Cook said more companies are looking at the area now that Westfield Boulevard, a new .65-mile road between 169th Street and Park Street, is open. He also said the Westfield Washington Public Library is considering moving to the location, but a decision hasn’t been made.

The business of sports

A major area of focus for Westfield will be the business of sports. Cook said there is some exciting news coming soon with Grand Park.

“We created a Grand Park research hub, and we have initiated a partnership with IUPUI, and right now, we are also working on a partnership with Purdue University,” Cook said. “Both of these are about creating research partnerships in the area of the business of sports, whether it be working on sports materials, sports marketing.”

Cook said this saw record use at Grand Park despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the pandemic, the Indianapolis Colts did not conduct training camp at the Westfield facility, but Cook said he hopes to see the NFL team return in 2021.


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