Westfield development soars

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) - Westfield has seen a 25 percent increase in building permits this year compared to last.

Mayor Andy Cook says they haven't had numbers like that since 2004, and he says it’s just the beginning. Cook attributes the growth to three things: a proposed sports complex, a downtown revitalization project and a U.S. 31 expansion.

Pete Gray with Executive Homes says Westfield is the place to be. He's expecting to file around seven new permits in Westfield in the coming year.

"Westfield, they've been very pro-growth. They want to have the activity, they want to have housing,” Gray said.

Cook said that’s been his plan all along. He said as of October the city had $90 million in assessed value in new permits for 2012. When you break that down, 1 percent of property taxes is $900,000 and the city will get around $225,000 of that.

The city said it’s trying to entice the private sector.

A $45 million sports complex will bring in more than 1 million people every year, creating a boon to commercial businesses in Westfield, Cook said.

"We're already seeing the interest — 'Hey where can we put this hotel? Where would this restaurant go?' — We're seeing a lot of that and that kind of permitting activity will come forward next year," Cook said.

Cook went on to say a big reason for the jump in development is planning, especially during the recession.

"While the economy was asleep, as you will, we’ve been planning some pretty aggressive projects," he said.

Cook said 95 percent of the current permits filed are residential, but he expects more commercial development once U.S. 31 and the sports complex are complete.