Costco wants to build a 166,739-square-foot warehouse store at the northwest corner of 191st Street and East Street in Westfield, a project that would bring an estimated 175 to 200 jobs to the city but has already run into pushback over how customers would get in and out of the parking lot. The proposed 23-acre development includes roughly 900 parking spaces and an adjacent fueling station, and it is now working through a multi-month city review process that will ultimately require Westfield City Council approval.
A Supersized Store With an Adjacent Gas Station
The warehouse would measure about 167,000 square feet, exceeding Costco's older stores by 15,000 to 20,000 square feet, according to the Westfield plan presented to the city, as reported by IndyStar. The total building area would be 166,739 square feet with about 900 parking spaces, according to Current in Westfield. The project site currently sits undeveloped and is bordered on the north by Cool Creek, the outlet reported in an earlier story on the proposal.
A separate fuel station adjacent to the warehouse would start with 16 pumps and 32 dispensers arranged over four rows, with room to expand to 20 pumps and 40 dispensers, the same outlet's reporting on the plan noted. If built, the store would become Costco's fourth Central Indiana location, joining existing warehouses in Noblesville and at Indianapolis's Fortune Park and Castleton, per IndyStar. The retailer estimates the Westfield store would serve roughly 12,000 existing Costco members who already live in the city, the newspaper reported.
Traffic Plan Draws Council Skepticism
Vehicle access would come from 191st Street, East Street, and U.S. 31, but it's a proposed left-turn entrance off 191st Street that has generated the most friction at City Hall. Costco has agreed to eliminate a left-out exit point from the site, but the company maintains that a left-in entrance remains essential to keeping traffic flowing smoothly, according to IndyStar's account of the plan.
Westfield Council President Patrick Tamm isn't convinced. The same Current in Westfield report quoted his view that a left-in off 191st Street would be dangerous and that no traffic study would change his mind. Costco is conducting a traffic study with the Indiana Department of Transportation, the outlet's report noted, as the company tries to address those safety concerns before the project advances further.
The stakes for getting the access points right are significant given the projected crowds. A traffic consultant working for Costco estimated the store could draw up to 9,000 customers per weekday, with even higher turnout expected on Saturdays, per the same report from Current in Westfield.
Jobs, Pay and the Design Debate
Beyond traffic, the proposal has sparked discussion over architecture and design, with council members and community members raising concerns on both fronts, according to IndyStar. In response, Costco has revised its warehouse design, shifting the color scheme from muted grays to earth tones and raising the wall elevation to help hide parked trucks from view, the newspaper reported.
On the jobs front, the project is expected to create about 200 positions, with Costco citing the company's reputation for high pay and low employee turnover, which the newspaper reported falls to about 7 percent after a worker's first year. Steve Cross spoke in support of those employment conditions at the Westfield Advisory Plan Commission's public hearing this past Monday, according to IndyStar's reporting.
What Happens Next
The Westfield City Council introduced the plan on Sept. 28, and the proposed PUD amendment went before the Advisory Plan Commission for a public hearing this past Monday. According to Current in Westfield, the commission's next workshop on the plan is set for Nov. 16, with a commission vote on whether to recommend the project to the full council scheduled for Dec. 7. The matter is tentatively set to return to the Westfield City Council on Dec. 14, which holds final approval authority over the project.
If the council ultimately signs off, construction is anticipated to begin in 2027, according to Current in Westfield's earlier report on the proposal. Westfield's review is unfolding as Costco pursues similar expansion efforts elsewhere in the country, including a revised development application for a store and gas station in Buncombe County, North Carolina, reported by FOX Carolina, and a newly approved rezoning request for a Gwinnett County, Georgia location near Lawrenceville City Hall, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
