One Westfield Place: What’s Next for Lord & Taylor?

In July 2026, Westfield announced that One Westfield Place would not proceed in its current form and that the Lord & Taylor property owners intended to sell. That changed the direction of the project. It did not announce a completed sale, a new buyer or an approved replacement design.

I’ve written about One Westfield Place for several years, including my concerns about its scale and financial structure. Those posts explain the decisions in front of the council at the time. This guide brings the history together with the town’s 2026 announcements so residents can distinguish the earlier proposal from the questions now facing the site.

Information checked October 29, 2026. The latest substantive town announcement located for this guide is dated July 16, 2026. An intention to sell is not confirmation that a sale has closed.

What happened to One Westfield Place?

In the July 16, 2026 town update, Mayor Jeremy Berman said the owners intended to market the former Lord & Taylor building and two parcels across North Avenue following Saks Global’s emergence from bankruptcy. He said the existing project would not advance in its then-current form.

The administration described a narrower direction focused on the privately owned properties and nearby public improvements. That is a statement of the town’s intended approach, rather than a finished plan with a new construction schedule.

Does the town still own the train station parking lots?

Yes. The mayor’s July announcement said the North and South Avenue municipal parking lots remain town-owned. It also said the council had no interest in selling or developing those lots as part of the new direction. The same announcement discussed improvements to the north-side plaza and intersections along North Avenue.

For residents, the practical distinction is between the private redevelopment properties and public land. The older One Westfield Place concept combined them in one larger project. The July announcement separates the future of the former Lord & Taylor properties from development of the municipal lots.

How did the project get here?

The town’s project archive contains the earlier plans, presentations and agreements. These are the main milestones to keep in mind:

1. September 2022: HBC | Streetworks presented One Westfield Place, involving its Lord & Taylor properties and municipal parking lots.
2. February–March 2023: The council adopted the redevelopment plan, agreement and supporting financial arrangements.
3. October–November 2024: The council considered and adopted an amended redevelopment plan.
4. May 2025: The council acted on the amended redevelopment agreement and related financial measures.
5. June 2026: The town reported that it had retained bankruptcy counsel and was taking steps to protect its interests while the Saks process continued.
6. July 2026: The town announced the proposed property sale and a change in direction for the project.

The 2026 developments are described in the June 26 update and July 16 update. Earlier renderings and financial projections belong to the versions of the project for which they were prepared.

What will replace the former Lord & Taylor building?

The July announcement did not identify an approved replacement project or a confirmed construction date. It said the existing redevelopment framework gives the town a role in shaping what comes next on the private site.

There are several separate milestones worth watching: a confirmed buyer, a specific proposal, public review of that proposal and any required decisions about plans or agreements. A report about one milestone should not be treated as confirmation of all the others.

When a new proposal is available, residents should be able to see plainly what is being built, which properties it covers, who pays for the public improvements and what obligations the town would take on. Those are the details needed to evaluate a project on its merits.

How does this relate to my earlier votes?

In February 2024, I explained that I support investment and development while objecting to the project’s scale. In May 2025, I explained why I opposed the amended project and, separately, supported reducing the related bond authorization after the project vote.

My vote to reduce that borrowing authorization was not a vote in favor of the underlying project. Those were different decisions, and my explanation of them remains available in the original post.

I want a successful downtown and thoughtful investment in this important site. I also want residents to have enough information to judge the scale, finances and public commitments before major decisions are made. The new direction makes those questions worth asking again against the actual proposal that emerges.

Where can I follow the next developments?

Use the town’s One Westfield Place archive for the underlying documents, and look for dated council announcements when evaluating claims about a sale or a new design. My One Westfield Place posts provide the history of my views and votes.

If there’s a specific part of the project you want explained, send me your question. For a separate downtown project already in design, read the Quimby Street redesign guide.