Vacant Lord & Taylor in Westfield bought by developer

2021 was the last time that anyone was shopping inside of this Lord & Taylor in Westfield and that was the liquidation sale for the store that sits right along North Avenue. Locked up for years the inside of this Lord & Taylor still looks very much like a department store. Lord & Taylor took over here in 1988 for Bamberger's but now there are new plans in the works as a brand new developer is in talks with the town council as to what comes next here. Premier Development bought the property, which encompasses seven acres to play with. Any plans may also include the two parking lots right across the street. If you want a hint as to what may be coming, well, the developer's website says it specializes in luxury rentals, which includes the Parkside Complex right here in Westfield. The company's website also says their interior amenities transcend the ordinary. Honestly, I'm happy because it really is just an open area, and I think The town, or whomever purchased it, needs to do something with it. Laura Ingram lives across the street from the abandoned building and is overdue for a new view from her front steps. Listen, I have no choice, right? The builders are going to build what they're going to do. Residential, I would not love the idea, but it's going to help my property value, so I'm okay with that. However, she and some of the other neighbors close to the store don't like the idea of more cars, more traffic, and they worry about the elementary school being overcrowded. There have been plans in the past for this property. You might remember hearing about one Westfield place. It was retail, office space, and 200 apartments, all close to the train station. But that plan with Saks Global fell apart. Many are expecting something similar to be built. Meanwhile, the mayor of Westfield, Jeremy Berman, tried to reassure neighbors with a recent social post in which he wrote, We will maintain rigorous oversight and protect Westfield's long-term interests. In Westfield, I'm Chris Keating, News 12 New Jersey.