Hudson's Bay Plans NJ Suburb's "Downtown of the Future"

Hudson’s Bay Co. (HBC) is planning to combine the site of a vacant Lord & Taylor store and several town-owned parcels in downtown Westfield, NJ into a mixed-use development that will encompass 731K SF.

The company and town officials are hailing the plan, which emphasizes pedestrian access and redesigned green space, as a model for the suburban “downtown of the future.”

The development will include about 340K of new office and retail space. Hudson’s Streetworks Development unit is planning an adaptive reuse conversion of the former Lord & Taylor building on North Ave. into 100K of high-end, flexible office space.

The development, to be known as One Westfield Place, also will include more than 200 residential units, 27K SF of street-level retail and a new ground-up mass timber building that will encompass 210K SF of office space and amenities.

The company plans to build 154 apartment units and townhomes for residents aged 55 and older, as well as 69 units aimed at young professionals. New parking garages, with a total of more than 450 parking spaces, will be built for public use on North and South Avenues.

Streetworks also will team with the Downtown Westfield Corp. and Biederman Redevelopment Ventures—the firm that redeveloped NYC’s Bryant Park surrounding the New York Public Library—to update the landscaping of Westfield’s Town Green and Town Square to the north and south end of the town’s train station as part of the One Westfield Place project.

In a statement, HBC CEO Richard Baker said “the revitalization of downtown Westfield will serve as a model of suburban downtowns for years to come.”

“One Westfield Place will be welcoming, distinct and authentic, with increased walkability, pedestrian access to open spaces, tree-lined sidewalks, picturesque main streets and buildings expertly designed to complement the unique charm and character of the town,” he said.

“Driven by our master plan, and with a commitment to maintaining Westfield’s historical character, Streetworks is proposing a downtown for the future, one that is more people-centric than car-centric,” said Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle, in a statement.

HBC envisions a sequenced development that would repurpose underutilized buildings and properties, optimize parking, improve pedestrian connectivity and help Westfield meet state-mandated affordable housing obligations, according to the company’s release.

Lord & Taylor LLC filed for bankruptcy in August 2020. Two months later, the retail chain’s assets were acquired by The Saadia Group in a $12M acquisition from fashion startup Le Tote, which had acquired the Lord & Taylor in 2019 for $71M from Hudson Bay, which also owns Saks Fifth Avenue.

Last year, Lord & Taylor emerged from bankruptcy and announced that it would operate as an online-only retailer.