Westfield has selected the first three projects for its Grand Junction redevelopment.

In 2010, the city will focus on renovating a section of South Union Street, building part of the Midland Trace trail and coming up with a storm water plan for the downtown area.

Cook said those projects will show developers that Westfield is serious about redeveloping downtown.

“If we invest a few dollars, then we expect the private sector to invest more dollars,” Cook said.

The city does not know how much the first three projects would cost, said spokeswoman Carrie Cason.

According to the Grand Junction Master Plan, which the City Council endorsed in April, the city will spend about $50 million on public improvements to attract $673 million in private development.

The Grand Junction Task Group, which is implementing downtown redevelopment, is reviewing designs for South Union Street.

Though designs likely won’t be finalized until December, the group is considering putting a wider sidewalk along the west side of South Union between the bridge just south of Ind. 32 and 171st Street, Cook said. A wider path would give a trail-like feel and could help connect trails coming from the east to Grand Junction Plaza, which will be just west of South Union.

The city could take away some of the parking lane along the street’s west side to accommodate a larger sidewalk, but the travel lanes likely wouldn’t be narrower, Cook said.

The Grand Junction Task Group will continue to discuss plans for South Union during a meeting at 9 a.m. Friday at the City Services Center, 2706 E. 171st St.

The city hopes to put the South Union project up for bid in January. Money from tax-increment financing districts likely would pay for South Union improvements and construction of the Midland Trace, which will run from Carey Road to Union Street, Cook said.

A contract for the trail should be awarded this month and construction will begin this spring.

Officials are negotiating a contract for a master storm water plan with Bernardin, Lochmueller and Associates, an engineering firm the city hired to help with Grand Junction. Storm water fees will cover that contract, Cook said.

Though Cook thinks these improvements will bring developers, some residents still are not convinced.

Dan Haskett, who grew up on South Union Street and now lives about a half-mile from downtown, is concerned about the amount of money the city could spend on Grand Junction.

“I think they’re just getting way overboard on their visions,” Haskett said.