If you have lived in Westfield for more than a year, your mental map of downtown is probably wrong right now. The block you used to default to on a Friday night is fenced off, the block you used to walk past has become the destination, and the parking that used to be free at the curb has moved into a garage. None of this is temporary in the "a few weeks" sense. It is the shape of downtown from now through the holidays.
The short version of what has happened: the center of gravity has slid one block west, from Park Street to Grand Junction Plaza and The Union. This guide is for the resident who wants to spend a late-summer evening downtown without circling for parking, missing a construction detour, or discovering that their old favorite is now behind orange barrels.
The Block That Moved
Park Street, the stretch the city and everyone else has called "Restaurant Row" for years, is under construction. Ground was broken May 8 on the Park Street Improvement Project, which is expected transform Park Street between Poplar and Mill streets into a showcase for existing and future businesses. The project will begin in May 2026 and is anticipated to last until December 2026. Contractors will return in April 2027 to finish landscaping work.
The finished street is going to look meaningfully different. Right now, traffic goes from west to east on Park Street – but that will be changed to east to west. The city is also adding new curbs that will make it easier for residents, walkers, bikers and wheelchairs to access Park Street. Adding flush curbs to improve pedestrian access and support future event set-up · Installing brick pavers and updating streetscape features, like landscaping, trees and more · Creating parklets for additional seating and gathering space · Adding new decorative catenary lights to enhance the look and feel of the street.
What that means for you between now and December:
- Park Street will remain partially open during construction. At least one lane will remain open and access to businesses will be maintained throughout the project.
- Valet service will be discontinued to reduce traffic through the construction zone.
- Public parking continues to be available on the west end of Park Street in the temporary parking lot, in The Union garage (first 3 hours are free), and in on-street spaces on Mill, Jersey, and Union streets.
The Georgia Street comparison the city keeps making is not accidental. "Think of Georgia Street in Indianapolis. It will have a lot of similar concepts," said Willis. "The road will be shut down a lot in the evening hours for concerts, picnic tables, fire pits, where people can spill out into the streets from the restaurants and just enjoy being a part of the city." That is 2027 Park Street. This summer's Park Street is the sketch stage.
What Actually Opened At The Union
The reason the shift has been so clean is that a full block of new tenants opened right across from the plaza in the middle of construction. The City of Westfield and Old Town Companies have officially announced the retail and restaurant tenants opening at The Union, the first mixed-use development in downtown Westfield. Designed to complement the energy of Grand Junction Plaza, The Union will provide a mix of residential, retail, and recreational spaces. Anchored by 196 high-end apartments, residents will enjoy amenities such as reserved covered parking, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, and an elevated pool and courtyard gathering space with stunning views of the plaza below. Tenants will include Pure Barre, Everbowl, Lake City Bank, BlackSheep Pizza and Cocktails, Stella's Ice Cream, Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming, and The Spark Coffee.
The anchor is Sun King. The new taproom, located at 133 S. Union St. at The Union at Grand Junction Plaza, is set to celebrate its grand opening on Friday, April 24 at 11 a.m. Sun King says the new location will feature a "two-level experience" in which a family-friendly taproom is located on the first floor, and a 21+ lounge is located upstairs on the second floor.
The two floors are not the same restaurant with a rope between them. The family-friendly first floor will feature the "Stacked House" concept, serving American comfort food such as smash burgers, sandwiches, pizza, salads and sharable appetizers. Meanwhile, the 21+ second floor will feature the "Upper House Social" concept, which will offer a "more refined, lounge-style" dining experience with a menu featuring Harissa Shrimp, Chicken Souvlaki Skewers, and Ahi Tuna and Cucumber Salata, designed to pair seamlessly with Sun King's beer portfolio.
So the practical read: kids and a burger, first floor. Later-evening drink with a plate of shrimp, second floor. Same building. Same brewery. Different night.
The Plaza Is The Calendar Now
Grand Junction Plaza was designed as an event lawn, and this summer is the first one where the plaza, The Union, and the reworked Park Street all point at each other. The Thursday routine is the farmers market. The award-winning Westfield Farmers Market, presented by Community Health Network, returns for the 2026 season on Thursday, May 7, from 5-8 p.m. at Grand Junction Plaza (225 S. Union Street). The 2026 season will feature more than 50 vendors at each event, including an expanded selection of produce sellers. Popular returning vendors include Almost Paradise Farm (smashburgers and farm-raised meat), Promise Land Farm (produce), Wild Loaf (fresh sourdough bread), and Tulip Tree Creamery (cheese).
Fridays are the concert. This family-friendly concert series will take place on select Fridays on the Great Lawn at Grand Junction Plaza. All concerts are on select Fridays from 7 – 9 p.m. One detail worth knowing before you carry a drink from The Union across the street:
Grand Junction Plaza is located within the Grand Junction DORA District, allowing guests ages 21 and older to enjoy alcoholic beverages purchased from participating vendors within designated areas.
The single biggest date on the plaza calendar between now and Halloween is in September. Gear up for the Westfield International Festival, which has been rescheduled to September 19 2026, at Grand Junction Plaza from 12-4 p.m. This annual celebration of culture returns with spectacular performances, mouthwatering food, and fun ... The Children's Museum of Indianapolis will host a free exhibit highlighting the culture of Peru in the Meadow Lawn, with a special meet-and-greet station featuring llamas nearby. Additionally, there will be various dance sessions on the Amphitheater Stage including K-Pop mini classes and Bollywood & Bhangra dance lessons. Inside the Café Pavilion, attendees can explore a pop-up museum honoring Westfield's rich history, presented by the Westfield Washington Historical Society.
Parking that day is worth planning around. There is also free parking will also be available at the Westfield Washington Public Library (17400 Westfield Blvd.) and a free shuttle will be provided from The Library to Grand Junction Plaza. If you have out-of-town family visiting a weekend in September, this is the one to build around.
Park Street Is Still Open, Just Different
Nobody has moved off Park Street. The construction disrupts the walk, not the businesses. Chiba is still at 228 Park St., and its owner has been publicly candid about the trade-off. Keith Dusko, owner of Chiba (228 Park St.), agreed. "In my opinion, it is short-term pain for long-term gain," Dusko said. Rivet Coffee Bar and Roastery, five years in, is holding its ground on the same block.
The new addition this spring is a seafood concept from Broad Ripple. A new seafood market and restaurant is coming to downtown Westfield, bringing a fresh seafood concept to the city's growing dining scene. Broad Ripple Seafood North and Bar is planned at the former Greek's Pizzeria at 31 Park St. Owner Todd Reisenbigler said demolition is expected to begin in February, with a goal of opening in mid-April. The Westfield restaurant will combine a full fish market with a restaurant and bar. One room will feature a fresh seafood market, while the restaurant side will offer made-from-scratch seafood dishes in a New England-style atmosphere.
Practical routing: park in The Union garage, walk the plaza, cut over to Park Street on foot rather than trying to drive it. Three hours in that garage is free, which is longer than most dinners.
If You'd Rather Skip Downtown Entirely: Westfield Collective
For the resident whose Saturday already involves a Grand Park tournament, there is a second downtown-adjacent option that opened this spring. The Westfield Collective is set to open in March on four acres at Grand Park Boulevard and East 181st Street. In addition to chef-inspired dining and a "curated beverage program," the facility promises social entertainment and year-round beach volleyball.
The space has three bars, two self-pour walls of beer, wine and cocktails, plus six restaurants. All of the small businesses featured inside don't have brick-and-mortar locations elsewhere. "It was important to us to bring new local options to the area, so we have six independent options, every type of genre of food, but they are all new, independent to the area," said Ewer.
One heads-up for anyone driving there from the south: 181st Street and Grand Park Boulevard: begins April 4, 2026 · Roundabout construction; anticipated closure for 60 days · 191st Street Widening: Utility Work this Spring; Roundabout construction this fall · Widening of 191st Street from Tomlinson Road to Grand Park Boulevard, including a roundabout at Grand Park Boulevard and a pedestrian bridge for Monon over 191st. The roundabout at your destination is the whole point of the drive being weird for a while.
A Late-Summer Playbook
If you want a compressed version to keep in your head:
| The plan | Where it lives now |
|---|---|
| Thursday after-work walk | Farmers Market on the Great Lawn, 5–8 p.m. |
| Friday date night | Upper House Social at Sun King, then a Jams at the Junction set |
| Saturday morning with kids | Stacked House first floor, then the plaza playscape |
| Big September weekend | International Festival, Sept. 19, plaza shuttle from the library |
| Post-tournament dinner | Westfield Collective at 181st and Grand Park Blvd. |
| Where to park downtown | The Union garage first, three hours free |
The one line to remember through the fall: Park Street is closing gently, the plaza is doing the heavy lifting, and The Union is the parking answer. If you are already living downtown-adjacent and want to trade notes on how these changes are landing block by block, or if you're weighing what all of this means for a home a few streets away, Ann Williams Erickson knows this stretch of Westfield well. Let's Connect.
