'No Endorsement': Westfield Advocates Respond To One Westfield Place Settlement

WESTFIELD, NJ — The group that brought four legal challenges against the Town of Westfield and the development of One Westfield Place said their recent settlement "is no endorsement of the project merits."

A resolution was unanimously approved on Tuesday night that allowed Mayor Shelley Brindle to sign a settlement with the Westfield Advocates for Responsible Development that requires them to dismiss their latest appeal over an amended redevelopment plan.

"Westfield Advocates continues to stand by all of its technical analyses and substantial concerns," the organization said. They added that their latest legal challenge came as "a last resort when the Town and developer rushed through the public approvals process and dismissed residents' concerns."

Their most recent fight over overdevelopment concerns surrounded the changes to the plans for the space downtown at the old Lord & Taylor site, such as additional square footage for more office space.

The newly adopted and amended ordinances also provided the Town with financial protections and included a reduction in the amount of bond money needed from $57 to $45 million.

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"Although we were highly disappointed that the courts also declined to engage in an independent review of legitimate good faith concerns of...a sizable number of residents, the litigation outcome is no endorsement of the project merits," the Advocates added.

Brindle addressed the legal actions taken by the Advocates and the judges' responses on Tuesday, and added that, "Each time, the judges affirmed the integrity of our process and One Westfield's Place's consistency with the Town's master plan."

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"We will continue to advocate and speak out," the Advocates pledged, "...to maintain convenient commuter access without overloading available infrastructure, and to prioritize the suburban town charm we currently enjoy."

Officials have still not announced a date for breaking ground on the project, one that Brindle said will infuse $375 million into the downtown economy and another $42 million in infrastructure and streetscape improvements. She also has highlighted the "$165MM in PILOT revenue will diversify and stabilize our tax base, benefiting all taxpayers."

In September of 2022, the owner of the Lord & Taylor site presented their plans for redevelopment. This also included the North and South Avenue municipal parking lots.

The Redevelopment Plan, Redevelopment Agreement, and other files were then adopted by Town Council in February and March of 2023.

Full Statement From The Westfield Advocates

Westfield Advocates continues to stand by all of its technical analyses and substantial concerns regarding the One Westfield Place project plans. We engaged in the litigation against the town's Train Station project plan as a last resort when the Town and developer rushed through the public approvals process and dismissed residents' concerns with the size of OWP development at the publicly owned Train Station parking lots, and the significant infrastructure and traffic impacts during construction and after completion.

Although we were highly disappointed that the courts also declined to engage in an independent review of legitimate good faith concerns of substantial concerns of a sizable number of residents - the litigation outcome is no endorsement of the project merits. And we are encouraged that the conversation and concerns regarding overdevelopment has shifted in the few years since we have formed. Both Mayoral candidates in the recent election explicitly cautioned against overdevelopment and its impacts on Westfield's quality of life and town character.

Westfield Advocates will continue to monitor One Westfield Place Projects and others in Westfield -- and we will continue to advocate and speak out for the long term interests of Westfield residents: to maintain convenient commuter access without overloading available infrastructure, and to prioritize the suburban town charm we currently enjoy.

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