Westfield Advocates for Responsible Development (“Westfield Advocates”) is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that brings residents together to amplify their voices to advocate for responsible and appropriately scaled development projects in the Westfield community’s public interest.
One Westfield Place Amended Redevelopment Plan Proposal - Town Council To Vote on Tuesday, 11/12
This proposal has WORSE impacts than the Original. Contact BOTH your Councilpersons in your WARD.
Let them know your concerns.
South Commuter Parking Lot
Resident commuters being inconvenienced and forced to park in two above-ground parking garages remotely located,
walk farther to access the trains,
limited vehicular access/egress, parking lot
only replacing parking 1:1, no future demand for addtional parking spaces included
being sold for $11M to a sole source developer for an oversized office building and a big 4-story parking garage.
Both buildings will over power the existing South Avenue and the existing buildings.
Views of Train Station Platforms blocked by buildings.
Retail square footage increased to 20,000SF to mask the first floor of the garage - but the garage will still be visible from the surrounding neighborhood.
Thumbnails of the Lord & Taylor Development on North Avenue - Apartments on Left, Townhouses on Right
Red represents the massing of the buildings per the Amended Redevelopment Plan, 10.18.2024
2024 Speak to Your Town Council NEW Representatives
Process Matters
Transparency Matters
Responsible Development Matters
We look forward to critical thinkers, independent voices and thought leaders.
View Driving West on North Avenue
View above driving South on Broad Street
View to left - driving East on North Avenue
Westfield Advocates is a 501c4, independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that brings residents together to amplify their voices to advocate for responsible and appropriately scaled development projects in the Westfield community’s public interest.
Our goal is to prioritize reasonable development that maintains the suburban character of our town, full transparency in local government and fiscally responsible decisions impacting the future of Westfield. We support initiatives that enhance education, improve infrastructure, and promote economic growth while maintaining the suburban character and scale of the existing town. We believe by working together, we can build a stronger and more prosperous community for generations to come. Join us in our mission to make Westfield a better place to live, work, and thrive.
Your contributions are critical to support our legal challenges against overdevelopment is a major step to cross-correct major mis-steps in historic preservation and urbanization.
Campaign 2024
MAKE A GIFT TODAY: SUPPORT WESTFIELD ADVOCATES
PROTECT OUR TOWN FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT TO STAY SUBURBAN:
We have an active Appeal Underway in the Appellate Court
Your contributions are critical to support our legal challenges against overdevelopment including actions to correct major mis-steps in historic preservation and urbanization.
One Westfield Place: legally enforce proper development process, support master plan compliance to inspire responsible development and bring Hudson Bay Co. back to the table. Keep the nature and quality of our town, let's stay suburban!
Work to rescind the 'Area of Rehabilitation' and 'Area of Redevelopment' from our town ordinances and resolutions.
Work to change the State Redevelopment Law. See draft NJ State Legislative bills A1037 and A1038 sponsored by Assemblywomen Munoz and Matisoukis January 2024.
Build community consensus and be a voice of residents for all future development coming down the pike.
Checks can be made out to and mailed to: Westfield Advocates, PO Box 2595, Westfield, NJ 07091
Smaller Retail District Proposed by Mayor and Town Council
Ordinance 2024-11 was approved by the Town Council, 5-3, on May 14, 2024. 3 councilmen requested a deferral of the vote so that the conditions along Elm Street could be studied further. The Mayor vehemently opposed any further consideration and said this is standard operating procedure - really??
We raised at the Council meeting on May 14th, that our retail district is comparable in scale and size to other towns that have NOT reduced their retail districts. So why are we? For example, Summit which is a town of approximately 22,000 has a district of 12 blocks and Metuchen a town of approximately 15,000 has a retail district of 5 blocks. So why would Westfield, a town of approximately 31,000 reduce their 15 block retail district to 6 blocks? All of the questions stated below and raised at the council meeting were ignored by 5 members of the Council. Their urgent need and the town planner’s urgent need to reduce the retail district was not clearly explained or supported by facts.
Within two months of this ordinance approval, the owner of 118-138 Elm Street installed a construction fence with a backhoe. This new apartment/retail complex is to be a 3-story building with first floor retail - will that now become first floor office space instead? And now NO variance is needed to make that change in use and the public will not know until the space is leased and occupied which could be 2 years from now, unless the town/owner/builder chooses to inform the public.
Proposed Ordinance 2024-11 in Westfield
First Reading by Town Council introduced on May 14th, 2024. Planning Board presentation June 3, 2024, Second Reading and vote for approval by Town Council on June 11, 2024.
The ordinance proposes to reduce the retail downtown district to the area highlighted in red. All other areas in the CBD (the ‘fringe’ as they have named it) would no longer have to have first floor retail, they could have professional offices or other non-retail uses. This ordinance effectively reduces the retail district to six blocks (from 15) or reduces the area for retail/restaurants by 2/3. The ordinance indicates a desire for an 18-hour active downtown and yet non-retail uses do not provide evening activation of the sidewalk.
*Why erode the retail central business district?
*Why allow the South Ave retail from Central Ave to Westfield Ave to be replaced with offices?
*Why isn’t the Addams Tavern, Nail salon, the tailor and the new retail/apartment building recently approved at 118 Elm St included in this revised retail district?
*What about Ahhre’s coffee, and the other retailers on Elm Street adjacent to the historic Arcadium Building?
*Are these retail businesses destined to be replaced when their leases are up? Are those buildings destined to be demolished and replaced?
*Will we have two small downtowns - the smaller old town and the newer One Westfield Place on North Avenue?
Other uses for entertainment or cultural have not been identified and those types of activites/uses would provide for 18-hour/day liveliness that the ordinance states as a goal.
*Why are there still no design guidelines for the municipal lots which are part of the Scattered Sites Redevelopment Plan and would now be excluded from the proposed ‘core’ area.
The Sophia: Prospect Street & Ferris Place
60 Units + Retail on less than 1 acre
4 Stories
Relocation of the designated historic home to accommodate parking
A lawsuit has been filed by our organization on behalf of our fellow residents, and we need your financial support to maintain this legal challenge!
After significant opposition from Westfield residents in all 4 Wards, 2000+ signatures on a petition requesting a scaled-down plan and substantial feedback during Town Council and Planning Board meetings, resident input and requests to delay final vote were ignored.
Overwhelmingly, the residents of Westfield acknowledged the rights of the developer to build and have simply requested a scaled down version, more fitting with the neighborhood and compliant with existing town of Westfield zoning restrictions. THIS WAS IGNORED.
As a result, “Westfield Advocates” was formed and commissioned an attorney, who enthusiastically took our case in the Fall of 2022.
The presiding judge determined our case had merit and the hearing was held on October 27, 2023, and on December 14, 2023 the judge issued her ruling in favor of the Defendent, the Planning Board.
On January 25, 2024 we filed a Notice of Appeal to preserve our rights as we consider our legal options.
On March 28, 2024, Westfield Advocates dismissed the appeal in the matter of Ferris Prospect Development and decided to conserve its resources in order to address residents concerns with the larger development projects in town. We will continue to hold our officials accountable to develop a holistic development plan for the future of Westfield with full transparency and authentic community engagement.
One Westfield Place
65 Feet Tall/ 5 Story Buildings at Lord & Taylor site
13,000 Sq. Feet of Retail at Lord & Taylor Site
South Side parking lots sold in no-bid deal
2 Office Buildings & 2 Parking Garages at So. Side lot
Net loss of 35 parking spots
Separation of North & South Side
Not part of our Affordable Housing Obligation
Forfeited conventional taxes and un-necessary, risky PILOT financing
35 inconsistencies with our Master Plan
Westfield Advocates has filed a law suit on behalf of our fellow residents. Read more here.
Once again, concerns regarding size, scale, traffic, parking, financial assumptions, support for our downtown Central Business District and irreversible destruction of our historic town character were ignored by our Mayor, Town Council and Planning Board.
Constructive, reasonable alternatives were ignored.
Our Town Council has approved this plan but your voice still matters.
Sign our petition, donate to our legal fund, spread the word and join our Facebook group for updates. Learn more about alternatives below.
Updates - On February 26, 2024 the Superior Court of Union County issued their decision in favor of the Defendant. On April 1, 2024 Westfield Advocates filed a Notice of Appeal.
Donate to the OWP Legal Fund
Read the full article here and donate to the OWP Legal Fund and Ferris-Prospect Fund above!
One Westfield Place
Ferris - Prospect (The Sophia)
Westfield Advocates File Lawsuits on Behalf of Residents
One Westfield Place Alternate Feasibility Analysis
See the alternate view on the town's feasibility analysis and case for PILOT tax break for OWP which was presented to the Mayor and Town Council in advance of the Town Council meeting on Tuesday, 3/14/2023.
Boulevard heading towards South Ave, before and after One Westfield Place
Apartments on Lord & Taylor Site, Townhouses across the street - View looking west on North Avenue
Apartments on Lord & Taylor Site, -View looking east on North Avenue
Planning Board and Town Council Approve of Lord & Taylor/Train Station Redevelopment Plan, disregarding Westfield Advocates Inconsistencies Report Submission
Westfield Advocates and subject-matter-experts in traffic, city planning, architecture & finance reviewed the Master Plan, the Unified Land Use and Circulation Element (ULUC) and the Lord & Taylor/Train Station Redevelopment Plan to ensure the Redevelopment Plan consistency with the Master Plan.
We found over 35 inconsistencies with the Master Plan and submitted a formal document to the Planning Board and Town Council, requesting a PAUSE in approval of the Plan until the inconsistencies were addressed.
The Planning Board did not acknowledge them and approved the Redevelopment Plan unanimously. The Town Council also disregarded our concerns and approved the Redevelopment Plan 7-1 (Councilman Parmalee was absent and Councilman LoGrippo voted ‘No’)
With their vote to approve the Redevelopment Plan in it’s current iteration, our Town Council told the people of Westfield that the Master Plan is irrelevant, as they disregarded any inconsistencies and approved this plan.
The Redevelopment Plan has been published and it’s WORSE than we thought
Building heights at the Lord & Taylor Site have increased to 75 Feet and Retail space has increased to 13,000 square feet, which can include shopping, restaurants and breweries. Read the plan here.
This creates a second, self-contained business district that competes with our downtown and does not support it.
Our Town Council has recklessly approved this plan but your voice still matters. Sign our petition, spread the word and return to this website for updates.
One Westfield Place
The fight for transparency and true community input is not over!
Sign our Petition to voice your objection to the current plan for One Westfield Place, the irreversible damage it will cause to our downtown, the lack of transparency during the 4 years of planning and refusal to provide answers to critical questions about financing and revenue assumptions.
Time is of the Essence! The Redevelopment Plan, which finalized outrageous zoning changes (75 Foot Tall buildings at the Lord & Taylor site and 55 Foot Tall Buildings in our downtown) has been approved 7-1 by our Town Council and Mayor.
Next, is the Redevelopment Agreement, which will finalize financing, bonds and the PILOT agreement. We still have many unanswered questions about the financing of this project.
See our list of open financial questions here.
Sign the Petition and request a lawn sign above.
Our Mission
Westfield Advocates for Responsible Development (“Westfield Advocates”) is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that brings residents together to amplify their voices and contribute professional development expertise to advocate for responsibly programmed and appropriately scaled development projects in the Westfield community’s public interest.
In recent years, the voice of Westfield residents has been ignored by our elected officials as it pertains to future development and the best interests of our town.
As a community-based volunteer organization we will promote public transparency and respect for planning and development best practices that will maintain and enhance the existing architecture, livability, and sense of place that has been enjoyed and celebrated as the essence of Westfield’s classic town character and charm.
We will advocate for our community on development projects that are ‘rushed’ through the approval process, lack transparency in contract bidding process, use questionable sources for traffic & environmental studies and do not recognize the thoughtful input from the residents that our officials represent.
To be clear, Westfield Advocates fully supports the addition of affordable housing units in a properly scaled redevelopment project. We reject any suggestion that this citizen group has any concerns in this regard.
Prospect Street-Ferris Place Development (The Sophia)
A lawsuit has been filed by our organization and we need your financial support to maintain this legal challenge!
After significant opposition from Westfield residents in all 4 Wards, 2000+ signatures on a petition requesting a scaled-down plan and substantial feedback during several Town Council and Planning Board meetings, resident input and requests to delay final vote were ignored.
Overwhelmingly, the residents of Westfield acknowledged the rights of the developer to build and simply requested a scaled down version, more fitting with the neighborhood and compliant with existing town of Westfield zoning restrictions. THIS WAS IGNORED.
As a result, “Westfield Advocates” was formed and commissioned an attorney to evaluate legal options for our voices to be heard.
If you care about this project and are frustrated with the lack of citizen representation, please donate, share with others and help us reach our goal!
information as of November 2022
Learn More about One Westfield Place
Unfortunately, the same pattern is emerging with One Westfield Place: the massive redevelopment plan for the Lord & Taylor site & downtown that will alter downtown Westfield forever.
Major aspects of this project were decided with no public input and is already in advanced stages of development, with very little time for public input. Learn more here and follow the timeline through the press here.
We will continue to add updates here and join us on Facebook and Instagram
Volunteer
We Need Your Help!
TIME & TALENT: One thing Westfield has in abundance is an extremely talented citizenry in a wide range of professional fields.
We need your time and expertise to help with legal, land use/development, engineering, environmental impact, traffic, fundraising, PR, community education, petitions, letter-writing campaigns, social media and more.
We need vocal citizens to regularly attend and engage at meetings of the Town Council, Zoning and Planning Board
We need you to spread the word for fundraising and to get more people educated, informed and involved!
Contact
We’d love to hear from you!
Please contact us with any questions.
Email
westfieldadvocates@gmail.com