Westfield moving 187-year-old building to make room for State Road 32 expansion

WESTFIELD — Westfield's oldest building is about to move to a new home.

Construction crews started the process of relocating the "Green Building" on the corner of State Road 32 and Union Street on Tuesday. The building was constructed on the corner in 1837 and remained in use until 2020.

The building lies in the way of INDOT's plan to widen State Road 32 to four lanes between Westfield and Nobleville. The Westfield Preservation Alliance pushed to save the structure instead of tearing it down.

"We're kind of excited to see that everybody agreed that this is the one that should survive," said Westfield Preservation Alliance's Linda Naas.

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The contractors hired by the city planned to move the structure to an empty lot next door on Tuesday, but instead pushed the relocation back a day. However, crews still prepared the building for its move by installing heavy steel beams under the floor.

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"It does bring up some emotions," said Westfield Director of Public Works Jonathon Nail. "It's definitely a unique thing in Westfield. It's not every day you get to move a building, especially one this old."

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The building will eventually move next to the Westfield Playhouse a block north on Union Street. Nail said the city hopes to move the building to its final home by the end of the year.

When it moves to its permanent home, the "Green Building" will lose its distinctive modern color.

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"It's not going to be a green vinyl-sided building. It will be restored back to what it looked like in the early 1800s."

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