West Fork Whiskey Co. is taking a second shot at developing a commercial and housing district around its distillery north of Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
Members of the Westfield City Council on Monday night heard an introduction of plans to build a 73,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor entertainment facility and more than 100 town houses on 26 acres at West Fork District, near the intersection of East 191st Street and Horton Road.
GPS.fun, a locally owned entertainment company operated by Peter Murphy, who previously owned Laser Flash in Carmel, is planning the entertainment facility, which would feature 33,000 square feet of indoor entertainment options, including duckpin bowling, laser tag, a full-service bar, a modern arcade, and “Krazy Darts,” a laser-projected dart game. There would also be a 40,000-square-foot outdoor area with a ropes course and a 36-hole mini-golf course.
“This project not only provides much-needed family entertainment for our residents but also supports our vision for the Grand Park area in creating a mix of entertainment and recreation options,” Mayor Scott Willis said in written remarks.
The Indianapolis office of Houston-based David Weekley Homes would also build 104 town houses on the northern portion of the West Fork District site. The town houses would range from 1,700 to 1,900 square feet and be priced from the mid-$300,000s to $400,000.The project would also feature an outdoor concert venue and a pond.
The Westfield Advisory Plan Commission will host a public hearing for West Fork District on May 5. The development proposal could return to the City Council for approval on July 14. If the project receives approval, construction would begin later this year, and the entertainment venue could open in late 2026.
Brothers Blake and Julian Jones partnered with David McIntyre to start West Fork Whiskey in a warehouse at West 86th Street and Zionsville Road in Indianapolis in 2014. They moved operations three years later to a renovated former grocery store at Bellefontaine and East 16th streets in the Kennedy King neighborhood, which continues to operate as a tasting room.
West Fork spent $11 million to open a 35,000-square-foot facility featuring The Mash House restaurant, a cocktail lounge, a 5,000-square-foot event center, an education facility and production equipment that debuted in August 2022.
In August, members of the Westfield City Council voted 4-3 to reject a plan by West Fork for a housing and commercial district. West Fork and Columbus, Ohio-based homebuilder M/I Homes Inc. had proposed building more than 100 town houses, a whiskey-aging warehouse, a pond, an outdoor concert venue, a dog park and a commercial development.
At the time, City Council members wanted there to be more of a commercial and entertainment presence at the West Fork site and less housing density. Councilors Jon Dartt, Noah Herron, Chad Huff and Kurt Wanninger voted against the plan last year, while Joe Duepner, Victor McCarty and Patrick Tamm voted in favor.
At Monday night’s meeting, Wanninger applauded changes that were made to the project’s proposal.
“I look forward to the amenity and how it will support Grand Park as well as our community,” he said. “And the residential component associated with this will provide opportunity for West Fork Whiskey and other businesses in the area as well.”
McCarty, who is also a member of the Advisory Plan Commission, said that he was “in constant contact with the West Fork team” over the past several months.
“I’m very thankful to have this back here tonight, especially with the entertainment option,” McCarty said. “Throughout the five-month process last year, I kept on saying that we need some sort of entertainment here, and I think that’s just wonderful.”
Duepner also said that West Fork “made some great strides” since last year.
“It does appear you took into consideration a lot of the things that we said,” Duepner said. “A lot of things are looking good on this project so far.”