Scott Willis: Westfield area booming with development 

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CIW COM 0122 ScottWillis
Willis

Westfield City Council member Scott Willis knows there is a flurry of development to keep track of in the District 1 area he represents.

So, Willis use his Town Hall get-together Sept. 17 at Bridgewater Club to update attendees.

One major addition will be SEP, a software product design and development company, which announced plans in June to move to a new headquarters off U.S. 31 at 161st Street

“It’s based out of Carmel so we snagged a corporate headquarters from Carmel,” Willis said. “It’s going to be fantastic. The architecture on it is going to be really nice, they are going to put in a lot of trails around the development and into the woods and tie it into our trail system on Union Street. They are going to be great corporate partners.”

SEP will invest $26 million to build a 70,000-square foot headquarters on 20 acres.

Willis said 140 employees are coming along with SEP and there are another 65 the company plans to hire in near future.

“We are talking average salaries north of $100,000,” Willis said. “These are the kinds of jobs you want in Westfield.”

Willis also reported a Culver’s is planned for Bridgewater Marketplace, in an empty lot behind the Walgreen’s.

“I think it will fit in well,” he said. “They are going to have some expanded outdoor seating there.”

Willis is eager to see the planned Portillo’s completed in Wheeler Landing.

“Fantastic food, I love it,” he said of the Chicago restaurant famous for Italian beef and hot dogs. “It’s going to have an old cafeteria-style architecture.”

Willis said Portillo’s plans to have a large outdoor seating area as well.

Another proposed new addition is Chick-fil-A at Wheeling Landing

“It’s not been approved but likely will happen,” Willis said. “Wheeler Landing is going to just explode.”

Willis gave his view on West Fork Whiskey Co. agritourism facility is in planning stages, north of Grand Park.

“I think it’s going to be nice addition,” Willis said. “It’s a $10 million investment. There will be some hourly paid jobs in the $20 to $25 range. There will be some management and engineering. They have a restaurant in downtown Indianapolis.”

Willis said there will be a restaurant, a tasting room and tour to see how whiskey is made to bring tourists.

“I think it fits well, but there are some challenges,” he said.

There is a narrow road where some trucks will be needed for the small distribution center.

“There will certainly be more volume than on the road now,” he said.

As far as residential, there is a Pulte Homes development going across from Carey Elementary School.

“It was supposed to go from Carey Road all the way to Oak Road,” he said. “It was going to cut through the woods and go through Oak Manor subdivision. Phase 1 is roaring, homes are going up left and right and I think it will fit in well with this district. Phase 2 may not happen.

Willis said Pulte is trying to sell the land because it is too expensive to develop.

“Budget wise it is about $100,000 over what they can afford to develop,” he said.


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