3 Takeaways From The One Westfield Place Planning & Design Discussion

WESTFIELD, NJ — Town planners and developers talked all things planning and design during a Facebook Live discussion on the proposed One Westfield Place development last week.

This presentation is one of many that Mayor Shelley Brindle has hosted in the last few months on the Lord & Taylor project. This includes presentations on the traffic impact and the financials of the project.

Here's a brief breakdown of the project as it is currently proposed:

• The former Lord & Taylor site will contain 100,000 square feet of office space, 13,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of amenities, which will be on top of the building and will be connected to the residential buildings to the east and west.
• Residential buildings will be to the east and west of the Lord & Taylor. These will include 138 units serving the 55+ age demographic.
• 16 North Avenue townhouse units for the 55+ community.
• More townhouses on Clark & North Ave. between the YMCA and United Methodist Church
• 35 lofts on Central and North Ave.
• Office buildings on South Ave. (one floor was removed in recent changes)
• $54.2 million worth of planned public improvements (includes several traffic mitigation measures)

While many residents continue to express concerns about how the project will impact Westfield's character and small-town feel, HBC Streetworks laid out ways in which they believe the development can maintain and improve the quality of life for Westfield residents.

Here Are 3 Main Takeaways From The Planning & Design Discussion:

1. Streetworks argues that permitting mixed-use buildings should be explored in Westfield

Developers stressed during the presentation that mixed-use buildings, that include retail, office space, residential units and more, are the best way to redevelop in areas like Westfield.

Doug Adams of Streetworks said there is a declining trend of downtown, urban office spaces and more companies are investing in offices in suburban areas — closer to where their employees live.

"The problem in New Jersey is that 85 percent of the office stock was built before 1990," Adams said. "That is over 30 years old and 75 percent was built before 1980."

As a means for comparison, Adams said Cranford has 839,000 square feet of office space, whereas Westfield only has 118,000.

Streetworks also plans to lease half of the office space before beginning construction on the building. Mayor Brindle said the developer would not be able to turn this office space into residential apartments, as some residents have expressed concerns about, unless granted permission by the council.

One resident, however, expressed concerns about the size of the office buildings:

"Office buildings are way too big and such a bulky look. Kids will be scared to walk between these buildings at night to go downtown," commented Tina Torres.

2. Streetworks says it plans to create a development that is in line with Westfield's culture, character, history, etc.

While the design for the project is "ever-evolving," architect Harry Peltz said his firm, Beyer Blinder Belle, plans to use certain materials that are in line with the aesthetics of Westfield's downtown.

He specifically said stone, metal, brick and wood could be some of the materials used for the Clark and North townhouses. He said these buildings will "pay respect to the past."

"There's this general fear of ... 'oh that looks too urban' or 'oh that looks like Hoboken,'" Brindle noted based on residents' comments. She then asked Peltz what assurance he would give to the community that Westfield will not turn into a more urban environment.

"We have a lot of experience of adaptive reuse and being very sensitive to the history, the culture, the fabric and the traditions of each town we construct something at," Peltz said.

Richard Heapes of Streetworks added that the project is "designed specifically for Westfield."

"We're not copying some residential project in Texas. It is being designed for Westfield, for the people of Westfield in today's stratus," Heapes said.

3. Construction would occur in a phased process, over the span of five years

Adams said before construction begins, the developer would need to produce the proper documentation for site plan approval, which could take a year or so to get approved.

He said it would then take another six to nine months to get in the ground.

Several residents have expressed worries that Westfield will turn into a construction site for several years.

Adams responded that the construction would not occur all at once and that it would begin at the west portion of development, then north, then south.

"It doesn't make sense from a risk and impact point of view to do it all at once," Adams said.

He said total construction would take about five years.

You can watch the full Facebook Live presentation here.

A public hearing and vote on the adoption of One Westfield Place is currently set for Feb. 14 if the Planning Board affirms consistency with the Master Plan, according to a prior announcement from Mayor Shelley Brindle.

Read more: Updated Plan For One Westfield Place Provokes Debate Among Residents