'The Sophia' Complex Gets The Green Light After Westfield Council Vote

WESTFIELD, NJ — After a nearly two-hour public comment session with the majority of residents voicing their objection to the proposed development on Prospect Street & Ferris Place, the council voted to approve The Sophia redevelopment plan in a close vote.

At Tuesday night's Westfield meeting, the council approved the controversial development in a 5-3 vote.

Mayor Shelley Brindle, as well as council members Scott Katz, Michael Dardia, Mark Pamelee and David Contract voted "yes" to the redevelopment plan, whereas council members Emily Root, Mark LoGrippo and Linda Habgood voted "no."

Ward 4 Councilwoman Dawn Mackey recused herself from the vote.

Some Background

The 64-unit apartment complex, along with its 96 underground parking spaces, up to 1,000 square feet of café retail space and nine units set aside for affordable housing, has been hotly debated at the last several town council meetings.

Read more: Debate Over 'The Sophia' Redevelopment Continues At Westfield Meeting

Critics of the development have largely pointed to The Sophia's proposed scale, claiming it is too dense and too tall and does not fit in with the surrounding neighborhood. They also claim it will only add more traffic and congestion into the town.

Nearly 1,000 residents signed an online petition that demands the building is downsized.

Read more: Westfield Residents Demand 'The Sophia' Is Downsized With Petition

Residents Speak Out

Before the official vote was conducted, many residents spoke their praises and concerns about the upcoming development.

Resident Doug Miller, among many others, argued that the traffic study that was conducted for this development was not sufficient and that the surrounding neighborhood will not be able to handle the influx of cars coming in.

"The developer's traffic study is woefully inaccurate," Miller said. "It studies traffic at a time characterized by already reduced traffic in the area due to commercial retraction, exacerbated by the COVID epidemic and the vacant Lord & Taylor properties."

Miller emphasized that the increased traffic from The Sophia, as well as the upcoming redevelopment at the old Lord & Taylor property, will overwhelm the "limited capacity of Ferris Place and the adjoining intersections."

Ina Jardine, who lives across the street from the proposed building on Prospect Street, expressed concerns about the developer's role in the project, as they also developed The Savannah — a condominium complex on Prospect Street.

"I'm more than concerned" Jardine said. "I'm mortified. I'm mortified that this developer might get rewarded for letting his two properties go untended for many years. Why should he be rewarded for that?"

Jardine claims that The Savannah has had major leaking problems for several years.

Former councilman Jim Boyes, who lives on Ferris Place, argued against the town's statement in the FAQ that the Prospect & Ferris area is being underutilized and that a large-scale project like The Sophia is necessary.

"I implore each of you to listen to the outcry of the residents who have written letters and emailed you — seniors, parents of young families, those who are not related to or work for this developer — and consider scaling back this project," Boyes said.

But not all residents at the meeting spoke against the new development.

Joseph Spector, who lives on Prospect street and all has a home across from The Savannah, said the development will be a "perfect" addition to the town.

"It is perfect for young married [couples], people who want to commute to New York and people starting out," Spector said.

Alan Derose said The Sophia is an ideal building for people like him and his wife who will likely look to downsize and live in an apartment close to downtown. Currently, he said there is a limited supply of high-quality apartments in the area.

Derose added that The Sophia would attract visitors and help support local businesses in town.

"The Sophia is the type of development our town needs," Derose said. "The new residents it will bring to Westfield will help our existing businesses, and more importantly, bring other exciting dining and shopping opportunities as we see in towns like Cranford and Summit that have embraced redevelopment."

Council Members Split The Vote

Just before the official vote was conducted, each council member explained how they were voting and their reasoning for it.

Councilwoman Root, who was recently appointed to fill Boyes' vacant seat, said she believes more compromise can be made between the town and the developer. She also argued that the building needs to be scaled back, which is why she voted "no."

"I have no doubt that a project of this size and scale would be smart for a corner in downtown Westfield, but just not this corner," Root said. "I believe this project should be scaled down so it would be a welcome addition to this neighborhood."

Councilwoman Habgood also explained her decision to vote "no" to the project.

"Tonight I will vote 'no' because I know so many of you still have concerns, and I want you to know that I am listening to you," Habgood said. "But by the end of this process, I hope that you will say to me that you wish I had voted 'yes.'"

In explaining her "yes" vote, Mayor Brindle pointed out various benefits of the project, such as the nine affordable housing units it will provide, its commitment to restoring and preserving the adjacent Mills-Ferris-Pearsall House and its commitment to being environmentally sustainable, among other benefits.

She also discounted some rumors regarding a lack of transparency between the council and the public.

"On a personal note, I’m disappointed and disheartened by the implications that something nefarious transpired between me, the other elected officials, and the developer because this project wasn’t scaled back as much as some had hoped," Brindle said. "There is no developer in our pocket, no favors being given out, no tax abatements being offered."

She reiterated that their decision for going through with the project is based only on what the council believes is in the long-term best interests of the community.

The full council meeting can be viewed on the town's Facebook page.

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