WESTFIELD—The city will be seeking input from residents about an upcoming industrial park at the site of the formerly proposed landfill.
On Jan. 10, beginning at 6 p.m., at North Middle School on Southampton Road residents will be able to give feedback to a proposed industrial park between Turnpike Industrial Way and Cabot Road. The project is for a 66-acre development that could house several businesses and increase tax revenue.
“We have an initial concept we want to share with the citizens and we want to share the process,” Joe Mitchell, City Advancement Officer for Westfield, said.
Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan (L) shows a concept of the industrial park to Sec. Jay Ash (R) during the grant presentation in June of this year. (WNG file photo, originally submitted by City Advancement Officer Joe Mitchell).
The idea for the development has come in part through a market study of what is desired by businesses and industries in the area, according to Mitchell. The possible businesses that could come to the area include light industrial, office space and distribution, and could provide “significant tax revenue and hundreds of jobs” to the city, Mitchell said.
The site is the location of a previously proposed landfill that was never fully followed through upon, and had sat dormant for about 28 years.
The city started to develop the land for an industrial park, and received a $300,000 grant in June from Sec. Jay Ash and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to help develop the property to assist in the development.
According to Mitchell, the city has been going through the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) process on the site, which would make the area more ready for businesses to be able to build.
“By going through the MEPA process, it will allow the property to be shovel ready,” Mitchell said.
In spite of the site going through the MEPA process though, Mitchell said that any potential businesses or developments on the land would have to go through the separate city and state processes, such as going through Planning Board, before they could be built.
