A town of about 40,000 people in Hampden County, Westfield is an established community with a historic town center and plenty of green spaces. "We're a big family community. You'll always see people out with their kids walking or hanging out at the park," says Lisa Oleksak-Sullivan, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty who’s served the area for over 20 years. The town sprawls a leafy landscape less than 10 miles west of downtown Springfield, straddling the Westfield River with mature flora and quiet residential streets. Locals often work in the precision manufacturing facilities in town, many others commute to Springfield or nearby towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Historic homes near downtown and ranch-styles in quiet subdivisions
In the heart of Westfield, in the Gas Light District, historic single-family homes sit on lots around a fifth of an acre. Many of these properties were built in the mid-to-late 1800s and appear in Victorian and Colonial Revival designs, cost between $200,000 and $300,000. Subdivisons of ranch-style homes and bungalows were built in the mid-to-late 20th century, and usually cost between $300,000 and $450,000. Newer builds, like modern New Traditionals, can cost between $500,000 and $800,000.
Career pathways at Westfield Technical Academy
The Westfield Public School district serves students in town. Niche gives the district, which serves almost 5,000 students, an overall B-minus rating. Westfield High School, which also scores a B-minus, is the district's only high school, but students can also apply to the Westfield Technical Academy. The public academy has career and technical education programs where students focus on electrical wiring, culinary arts, automotive technology and more. Westfield State University, a public college with about 4,300 students, is also in town. “We do feel a pretty big student presence. You can always see them out grabbing coffee or lunch downtown, which I think our downtown businesses and restaurants really appreciate," Oleksak-Sullivan says. The university offers 33 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate programs.
Botanical gardens and walking trails in Westfield
Westfield has many public green spaces, which range from pocket parks to riverside nature trails along the Westfield River. One of the most popular is Stanley Park, a non-profit led space with botanical gardens and wooded trails. "It's beautifully maintained. With the gardens and duck pond, there's also a huge playscape area. Families can easily spend an entire day there, enjoying time outside," Oleksak-Sullivan says. Locals spend time picnicking or enjoying waterfront views at Half Mile Falls Park, and youth sports teams practice on baseball fields throughout town. Younger kids explore the interactive exhibits and play structures at the Amelia Park Children's Musuem.
Restaurants and shops in the Gas Light District
Westfield's historic downtown area is known as the Gas Light District. Red brick sidewalks line the streets, leading to businesses and shops that are housed in historic low-rise buildings. "The Tavern is in the old post office building; they have great American-style comfort food," Oleksak-Sullivan says. Other locally-owned spots include coffee shops like Circuit Coffee and laidback diners like the Maple Leaf Pub. Emma's Everyday Gourmet is a popular Italian restaurant downtown. Near the district are supermarkets like Big Y World Class Market and Stop & Shop for daily essentials. There's also a shopping plaza with retailers like Home Depot and T.J. Maxx, but shoppers must drive out of Westfield for more options, like the Target that's 10 miles away in Holyoke.
Community non-profits organize events in Westfield
The town has a non-profit organizationo called Westfield on Weekends, which focuses on building community through events and artistic projects. “We recently celebrated 20 years,” says Kathi Bradford, Director of WOW Creative Arts Center and a Westfield resident since 1981. “Basically all of our programs are free to attend unless they’re fundraisers. Every weekend, there’s always something going on. We do classes, trips, gallery showings and children’s programs." There are also large-scale events like Pumpkinfest, an October gathering with pumpkin carving stations, live music and local vendors. Decemberfest celebrates the holiday season with activities all month long, including a seasonal art gallery, a tree lighting with caroling and a self-guided holiday lights tour. The organization also operates an arts center that has regular galleries and art classes for kids and adults.
Interstate 90 routes to Springfield
Westfield is mainly car-depenent, though the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority does operate bus stops throughout town. Interstate 90 runs through the middle of town, so drivers can easily get to West Springfield and Springfield, which are about 13 miles east of Westfield. Oleksak-Sullivan says that people often drive south to cross the Connecticut border to get to towns like Granby, which is about 13 miles south. Westfield has a regional airport with a flight school, but travelers head 20 miles south for commercial flights out of Bradley International Airport.
As a full-time professional Real Estate Agent, with over 25 years of service industry experience, I have the customer service expertise and outstanding communication skills that are critical in the Real Estate Industry. As a true testament of my hard work and dedication, I was the recipient of the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley's 2020 Rising Star Award. I'm thrilled to be able to serve my clients across the Western MA & Northern CT areas where my skillset will be utilized to ensure that all of my clients are treated as if they were my "only" client. Real Estate isn't about the flashy properties or the fancy networking events. It's about building relationships and making a difference in peoples lives - in SO MANY ways!! I was born and raised in Western Mass and enjoy helping buyers and sellers thrive in the community that I was brought up in. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, my beautiful Granddaughter, friends and of course my three pups, Koda, Tucker and Beans. If you’re looking to Buy or Sell, call me, you'll be glad you DID! Let me walk you through the home buyer or home selling experience!!
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