The City of Westfield has lots to look forward to in 2018, including the beginning of Phases II and III of the Grand Junction Park and Plaza; the arrival of Canadian-based coffee shop Tim Hortons; and the betterment of the Monon trail.
Here’s a look at what Westfield residents can expect regarding development in 2018:
Ind. 32 and Grassy Branch Road
A retail center will be built on 30 acres to the northeast corner of Ind. 32 and Grassy Branch Road. Westfield Lighting sold its property, and the retail center is expected to include a Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons originated in Canada in 1964 with only doughnuts and coffee on the menu. The menu has now been expanded to include bakery goods and lunch items. So far, Tim Hortons is the only development announced for the retail center.
Grand Junction Park and Plaza timeline
Grand Junction Park and Plaza will begin Phases II and III in 2018. Phase II encompasses the stream reconstruction, which Mayor Andy Cook said can only happen during winter.
“You can only do work in the winter because of fish and wildlife,” Cook said. “It’s taken five years to obtain all necessary permits to reconstruct the stream. Permits to alter a stream are unbelievable. That (stream reconstruction) also helps complete our long-term project that is often forgotten, and that’s the regional detention project for the downtown which will forever prevent the downtown from flooding again.”
Plaza design is complete, and Cook said depending on funding, the city will begin bidding out the construction projects. Cook said the city is working on finding adequate funding, and if found, construction on Phase III would begin later in 2018. Construction would begin to develop the west half of the plaza.
“There’s a lot of interest in developing the block to the north of Grand Junction,” Cook said. “Part of that is publicly owned property. Probably 75 percent of it is privately owned, so the development community has to deal with all that. But because of Grand Junction construction and the fact this is going to happen, that interest from the private sector has become very strong, similar to the west of Grand Junction, where the emerging rest row continues to build.”
City Services wastewater treatment plant
In an effort to transform the old wastewater treatment plant at City Services into a park, the city is dredging sludge from the plant. Sludge dredging will continue into 2018, although the park isn’t expected to open until 2019. The project costs $1.5 million and is sourced from the city’s stormwater fund. When complete, the area will become part of Simon Moon Park and open access to the Midland Trace Trail.
“It’s going to be a wetland area and the west side will be a clean fishing pond with a boardwalk,” Communications Director Erin Murphy said.
Trails
A Monon Trail pedestrian bridge will be constructed over Ind. 32 at Wheeler Road next year. The project will bid in the spring and construction will begin in the summer. Construction will last 12 months at an estimated cost of $5,690,000, although approximately $3.3 million is funded by federal dollars.
Another Monon Trail addition includes extending the trail into Sheridan.
“We just let bids last week for the final section 7 of the Monon trail, which goes from just north of 191st Street to 216th Street where the county picks up,” Cook said. “That project was under budget and construction will begin this winter and take a year. By this time next year, you will be able to go from downtown Indianapolis to downtown Sheridan (on the Monon).”
The Monon Trail extension costs $2.3 million, with $1.7 million funded federally.
Riverview Health Hospital
Westfield’s first hospital is slated to open in May at the northeast corner of Ind. 32 and U.S. 31. The 108,000-square-foot hospital will include five inpatient beds, three surgery suites and an emergency room. When the $60 million hospital broke ground last month, it was planned to only offer outpatient services.
Road construction
Road construction in 2018 includes extending Ditch Road south from Ind. 32 to 171st St. at a cost of $590,000. A roundabout at 186th Street and Spring Mill Road is already partially complete, and construction will be finished in the spring. Cost for the roundabout is approximately $4 million, with $1.75 million funded federally. Construction of a Westfield Boulevard connection from Ind. 32 to 169th Street costs $10 million, with $4.5 funded federally. Towne Road reconstruction between 156th and 166th streets costs $3.1 million, with $2.2 million funded federally.
Other developments
Other developments going through city council that could begin construction in 2018 include ex-Major League Baseball player Joe Thatcher’s multi-million dollar Pro X Development training facility west of Grand Park and Edgerock Development’s The Trails Planned Unit Development, which would possibly bring a Starbucks to the corner of Ind. 32 and Oak Ridge Road.
For more, visit westfield.in.gov.
