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Council approves Park and Poplar PUD, backing mixed-use development and structured parking
Summary
The Westfield Common Council on May 12 adopted ordinance 24-69, approving the Park and Poplar PUD, a mixed-use development on roughly 9'12 acres near the southeast corner of Park Street and Westfield Boulevard.
Westfield
The Westfield Common Council on May 12 adopted ordinance 24-69, approving the Park and Poplar PUD, a mixed-use development on roughly 9'12 acres near the southeast corner of Park Street and Westfield Boulevard. The council's 6-0 roll-call vote authorizes a development program that includes multifamily housing, ground-floor retail, office space, a public plaza and a multi-level parking structure.
The PUD, presented by Jeremy Lawler of Old Town and introduced by Lauren Gilliam Teague of Community Development, replaces an earlier concept that included a hotel with a revised program of two three-story office buildings (approximately 40,000 square feet of office and 20,000 square feet of retail), a standalone retail building anticipated for restaurant use, 5-story multifamily residential wrapping a parking structure, and a public plaza oriented to the Midland Trail corridor.
Mayor and administration officials described the Park and Poplar project as one part of a broader, multi-development strategy to relieve a downtown parking shortfall the city estimates at roughly 303 spaces at peak demand. The mayor and Old Town representatives said three near-term downtown projects ' Union Square, Park and Poplar, and Grand Millennium Center ' together with additional surface and library parking, would produce enough incremental spaces at peak hours to address the shortfall across build-out.
City presentations laid out project finances: Old Town, the developer, is expected to fund approximately 82% of the project cost, while the city is proposing to finance an 18% share focused on the parking garage and plaza improvements. The mayor said the total project investment is approximately $123 million and that the city's portion is about $13.5 million (land costs and the garage delta). City statements emphasized that Old Town will own the parking garage and bear long-term maintenance costs, while tax increment financing (TIF) revenue from the development is expected to cover a significant portion of the garage delta.
Councilors debated the city's financial participation. Councilor Joe Depner said he remains "extremely opposed" to the city's dollar amount but recognized the balance between taxpayer investment and the developer's role as a downtown pioneer. Several councilors praised the project's architecture and potential to create a gathering place downtown. Councilor John Dart encouraged future projects to include for-sale housing to strengthen neighborhood ownership in the downtown core.
The council's unanimous vote followed a presentation of revised site plans, building elevations and an explanation of how the project fits with existing PUDs and the Midland Trail. Jeremy Lawler and development team members said revisions were made in response to staff feedback, adding space between buildings, adjusting materials on rear elevations, and swapping a proposed hotel for lower-rise office buildings to better match downtown character.
What's next: With council adoption, the PUD ordinance is enacted and the developer may proceed to permit, design-detail and construction phases directed by the approved PUD. City staff and Old Town will coordinate parking, plaza design and TIF implementation as projects progress.
