WESTFIELD — Get your dancing shoes on, Westfield, because the Spin Doctors are coming to town.
On Saturday, the Foundation For Sustainable Veteran Housing, the nonprofit organization behind the American Legion redevelopment plan, will host a music and food truck festival featuring performances by the popular 90’s alternative rock band and two other local artists.
The event, scheduled to be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Westfield Armory, also will feature unlimited wine, beer and liquor tastings.
All of the proceeds from the festival will go to support the revitalization of the town’s aging American Legion Hall, located on North Avenue West.
Martin Wallberg American Legion Post 3 will be demolished over the coming months and will be reconstructed as a brand-new facility comprised of a cantina, office space, meeting rooms and 22 single-occupancy, low-income housing for veterans.
The project, which was finalized through a redevelopment agreement with the town in February of this year, has garnered widespread support from local representatives.
“This plan will allow for major improvements at the site and will give the Legion the opportunity to expand its level of service to homeless veterans in the area,” Town Planner Don Sammet said during a town council meeting earlier this year. “It’s very much a win-win.”
The new rental units will be made available to any veteran of any age with an honorable-discharge record. The new hall also will allow the Legion to provide local veterans with a wider array of programs and resources.
“Once this project is finished, the Legion will be able to provide a number of wrap-around services like résumé building and career development, community engagement and counseling to veterans in the local area,” said Joe Mindak, executive director of the Foundation For Sustainable Veteran Housing. Mr. Mindak added that the Legion intends to partner with Soldier On, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to veterans in need, in offering its new array of services.
The new hall additionally will bring the community back into the Legion, Mr. Mindak said.
“The banquet hall is in rough shape right now, so people aren’t using it as an event space like they used to,” he said. “That can be a major source of revenue for the Legion, so we’re hoping to turn that around.”
The project will cost approximately $8.5 million to complete.
“The majority of our costs will be covered by government grants, but the Foundation will still need to raise about $1.5 to $2 million in order to bring the project to fruition. Events like Rock the Foundation are going to be a key piece of making that happen,” Mr. Mindak said.
Fund-raising efforts aside, Mr. Mindak said, the project is moving ahead according to schedule.
“We started this whole process about two years ago, but we’re moving along now. We’re working with REDCOM to develop the architectural plans right now and hope to be able to present our application to the planning board in about two months,” he said. “The fact that we have gotten so much support from this community speaks to the real need that we’re hoping to address with this project.”
The Westfield Armory is located at 500 RahwayAvenue. This event is for adults age 21 and up. Tickets can be purchased online for $75 at www.westfieldamericanlegion.org/ events/rockthefoundation.
