NORTHERN INDIANA | General Developments

[Blocky858]

Lived in the city for a number of years before moving back to Michigan, but I noticed for a decently sized city (265k+) with a number of active developments there was no thread for it on this forum, so I decided to make one. Not sure if anyone else from the Summit City is on the forums but hopefully so!

There are a number of active developments right now but I'll kick it off with the latest one announced yesterday:

"STAR Bank to build new headquarters with parking garage in downtown Fort Wayne"

https://www.wane.com/news/local-news...lVMyO-8KEBUzkI

STAR announced Wednesday plans to build a two-tower, mixed-use building with a public parking garage on an empty lot at 215 W. Main St. The $43 million STAR Bank Building will feature a 7-story, 50,000 square foot north tower, 3-story, 20,000 square foot south tower, and a 387-space public parking garage.

Despite what the article says, it's not an empty lot. There's currently the I.O.O.F lodge located on the site at 222 W. Berry, and some sort of old garage located on the site also. It seems that the city likes to move old buildings versus demolishing them but I'm not sure what will happen to either of these in this case. Also, I think it's quite funny they call a 3 story building a 'tower'.

[Blocky858]

Plans for hotel, restaurant possible in North River soccer stadium complex

Mayor Tom Henry revealed new details of a $150 million dollar soccer and entertainment complex during his annual State of the City address Wednesday.

According to the mayor, a private developer has drawn up plans to build a professional soccer stadium alongside an entertainment venue, a fieldhouse, as well as a hotel and restaurant on the 30 acres of city-owned open land north of Headwaters Park.

Headwaters Junction, a railroad attraction and entertainment venue has been in several development discussions for the land, but organizers have said a new location has been discussed for that project.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by Blocky858

Despite what the article says, it's not an empty lot. There's currently the I.O.O.F lodge located on the site at 222 W. Berry, and some sort of old garage located on the site also. It seems that the city likes to move old buildings versus demolishing them but I'm not sure what will happen to either of these in this case. Also, I think it's quite funny they call a 3 story building a 'tower'.

Yeah, somewhere like Kalamazoo or Elkhart could maybe get away with referring to a three-story building as a "tower". But not Fort Wayne

I noticed that right across the street from this, the new 124-room boutique hotel "The Bradley" is under construction (at 204 W Main). It broke ground in May 2019. This is a Provenance Hotels property - they are based in Portland, OR. Vera Bradley (yes, that Vera Bradley - co-founder of Barbara Bradley Baekgaard) is a co-partner in the project. They worked with local architecture firm Elevatus and local contractor Hagerman. The construction cost was estimated around $26 million in 2016. So with inflation factored in, but a floor removed, it is still probably around that much in today's dollars. The original plan was to open in 2020. Judging by the construction photos, it looks like it will be open in the next few months -

Current rendering -

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly | Contributed

An earlier, 6-story rendering - would have been nice, but the final still looks good, just a story shorter -

Source: Visit Fort Wayne

Indoor / outdoor rooftop bar progress, 2/24/21 -

Source: Facebook | The Bradley

Ground floor / lobby progress, 2/12/21 -


Source: Facebook | The Bradley


Source: Facebook | The Bradley

[Blocky858]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Yeah, somewhere like Kalamazoo or Elkhart could maybe get away with referring to a three-story building as a "tower". But not Fort Wayne

I noticed that right across the street from this, the new 124-room boutique hotel "The Bradley" is under construction (at 204 W Main). It broke ground in May 2019. This is a Provenance Hotels property - they are based in Portland, OR. Vera Bradley (yes, that Vera Bradley - co-founder of Barbara Bradley Baekgaard) is a co-partner in the project. They worked with local architecture firm Elevatus and local contractor Hagerman. The construction cost was estimated around $26 million in 2016. So with inflation factored in, but a floor removed, it is still probably around that much in today's dollars. The original plan was to open in 2020. Judging by the construction photos, it looks like it will be open in the next few months -

Current rendering -

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly | Contributed

An earlier, 6-story rendering - would have been nice, but the final still looks good, just a story shorter -

Source: Visit Fort Wayne

Indoor / outdoor rooftop bar progress, 2/24/21 -

Source: Facebook | The Bradley

Ground floor / lobby progress, 2/12/21 -


Source: Facebook | The Bradley


Source: Facebook | The Bradley

Is there a reason we know of as to why they reduced it a floor?

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by Blocky858

Is there a reason we know of as to why they reduced it a floor?

Not sure. I Googled around a little, but I didn't find anything obvious, like budget or public / municipal weigh-in.


South Bend -

There is a lot of development happening on the city's central island / East Bank Neighborhood. In addition to 300 E LaSalle (mentioned in an earlier post), Three Twenty at The Cascade (fairly) recently opened its first phase - a residential mid-rise of condominiums on the island overlooking the cascades of the St. Joseph River. A second "tower" is planned, along with a few townhomes, but I believe those starts have been delayed. From what I can discern, construction still hasn't broken ground on those, but if anyone is in the know and can correct me on that, please do! The total cost for both buildings & the surrounding site is estimated at $38.5 million.

Renderings, with the full site buildout envisioned -




Source: Three Twenty at The Cascade

Building one, completed in 2019 -


Source: Facebook | At The Cascade

[deja vu]

Fort Wayne -

Construction starts on first of three downtown projects involving Indy-based developer
Chris Darby | WANE
February 18, 2021

1. Riverfront at Promenade Park broke ground last week - it's a large, mixed-use development that will bring over 200 apartments, 7 townhomes, 30,000 SF of office space, 15,000 SF of retail space, and a 900-space parking garage to downtown. The ~ $90 million project will be built at the northeast corner of Superior and Harrison Streets -


Source: WANE | Courtesy Rendering

2. The Lofts at Headwaters Park is expected to begin in late 2021 or early 2022. It will be built two blocks east of Riverfront, at the site of a current surface lot at northeast corner of Clinton and Superior Streets. This ~ $70 million project will also be mixed use, comprising 200 + apartments, 12,000 SF of commercial space, and a 650-space parking garage. Here's a rendering from 2019 (I'm not sure yet if it is the most current version) -


Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly ! Courtesy Rendering

[jpIllInoIs]

Ft. Wayne has done a really good job of leveraging minor league sports into downtown development. And they have great names Tin Caps baseball stadium is great and they have an excellent team since they are a Padres affiliate. Its been awhile since I visited so I haven't seen ECHL hockey (Komets) or G league basketball (Mad Ants) in the downtown arena. Good luck on the soccer stadium. Do they have a team yet?

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

Ft. Wayne has done a really good job of leveraging minor league sports into downtown development. And they have great names Tin Caps baseball stadium is great and they have an excellent team since they are a Padres affiliate. Its been awhile since I visited so I haven't seen ECHL hockey (Komets) or G league basketball (Mad Ants) in the downtown arena. Good luck on the soccer stadium. Do they have a team yet?

They do have a newly-formed club - Fort Wayne F.C. Their first competitive game will be held in May 2021. The will play in the Great Lakes Division of USL League Two this year, with hopes to jump up to League one next year. I don't understand how all of the league tiers work, but USL League 2 is apparently considered the fourth tier / development league. Their Central Conference includes clubs like South Bend, Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo.

Fort Wayne FC joins USL League Two; aims for League One in 2023
Kevin Johnston | Soc Takes
October 29, 2020

I like their motto "Protect the Fort!"

https://www.fortwaynefc.com/

[deja vu]

South Bend -

300 E LaSalle is currently under construction in the East Bank neighborhood. The $42 million, 10-story mixed-use building is expected to open this Spring -

Rendering -


Under construction / topped out, last year -

Source: Matthews, LLC

[deja vu]

South Bend -

The main, downtown branch of the St. Joseph County Library is getting a big addition. The $38 million community learning center is currently under construction, with plans to open by this summer. It is a very neo-traditional design (by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, unsurprisingly) -

2018 Rendering -

Source: South Bend Tribune | Courtesy Robert A.M. Stern Architects

Construction progress, September 18, 2020 -

Source: South Bend Tribune | Robert Franklin

[DetroitSky]

Great idea for a thread! There is a Fort Wayne thread in the City Compilations forum that I'll merge with this one. Do we want the combined thread to stay in the Midwest subforum or should we move it to City Compilations?

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Great idea for a thread! There is a Fort Wayne thread in the City Compilations forum that I'll merge with this one. Do we want the combined thread to stay in the Midwest subforum or should we move it to City Compilations?

Thanks! I guess I didn't search hard enough before launching a new thread (I think I looked for South Bend, but not Fort Wayne - sorry). I don't want to step on anyone else's toes, but if it is going to be a multi-city thread, I think it makes sense to keep it in the regional section. I know that it usually gets less attention there, but the folks who really care will know where to find it. Ultimately, I'm fine with whatever location.

Is there any way to change the order of the posts, so that the intro post & the project rundown post I started on the separate thread (now posts 3 & 4 on here) can come first? Again, I don't want to steal Blocky's thunder or hijack the thread - credit is due to whoever started the thread. But if Blocky is cool with it, I will gladly maintain the rundown and add any projects to it that any posters share.

Maybe it's my own OCD, I just hate threads that open with a random project and never have a cohesive rundown at the start. For me, it's something I refer back to regularly, as a kind of checklist (the ones I've been working on for Northern Michigan & Western Michigan are good examples of what I'm talking about).

[Blocky858]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Thanks! I guess I didn't search hard enough before launching a new thread (I think I looked for South Bend, but not Fort Wayne - sorry). I don't want to step on anyone else's toes, but if it is going to be a multi-city thread, I think it makes sense to keep it in the regional section. I know that it usually gets less attention there, but the folks who really care will know where to find it. Ultimately, I'm fine with whatever location.

Is there any way to change the order of the posts, so that the intro post & the project rundown post I started on the separate thread (now posts 3 & 4 on here) can come first? Again, I don't want to steal Blocky's thunder or hijack the thread - credit is due to whoever started the thread. But if Blocky is cool with it, I will gladly maintain the rundown and add any projects to it that any posters share.

Maybe it's my own OCD, I just hate threads that open with a random project and never have a cohesive rundown at the start. For me, it's something I refer back to regularly, as a kind of checklist (the ones I've been working on for Northern Michigan & Western Michigan are good examples of what I'm talking about).

There are multiple city threads in the city compilations, I don't see why this can't be moved there, I think it makes more sense and it would be more visible. As for you maintaining everything, that's fine, I actually prefer that.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by Blocky858

There are multiple city threads in the city compilations, I don't see why this can't be moved there, I think it makes more sense and it would be more visible. As for you maintaining everything, that's fine, I actually prefer that.

Thanks Blocky. Yeah, I realize my prior comment was unintentionally hypocritical. Another thread that I maintain - the Kalamazoo / Portage / Battle Creek thread - covers multiple cities and is also located under the city compilations.

Another thought, if you wanted to keep this thread focused on just Fort Wayne, we could let it stand on its own (it's certainly large enough), and then the other cities I had listed (South Bend, Elkhart, etc.) could stay in a separate, regional thread. Either way, I'm happy with keeping up the rundown(s), if DetroitSky can shift the order of things.