NORTHERN INDIANA | General Developments

deja vu · #1 Posted **Feb 24, 2018, 3:50 PM**

This Northern Indiana thread serves as a space to discuss developments in all of the principal cities in the northern portion of the state, including:

Fort Wayne - largest city in Northern Indiana / 2nd largest city in the entire state
South Bend - 2nd / 4th
Hammond - 3rd / 8th
Gary - 4th / 9th
Elkhart - 5th / 17th
Mishawaka - 6th / 18th
Portage - 7th / 24th
Merrillville - 8th / 27th
Goshen - 9th / 28th
Valparaiso - 10th / 29th
Others (if substantial projects) - to-date, Michigan City, Crown Point, and the Duneland area.

***Credit is due to Blocky858 for conceiving and launching a Fort Wayne thread a few weeks before I started a separate, Northern Indiana thread. For simplicity, these two threads have been merged with the help of DetroitSky. Thank you both! There was also an earlier South Bend -Mishawaka, IN Metro Development thread started by Halovet in 2018 that never really took off, so that has been absorbed here as well. I will do my best to maintain a project rundown in this opening post for anything that anyone posts on here.

Wikipedia defines the Northern Indiana region by these 26 northern-most counties, which can be further sub-divided into Northwest Indiana / Calumet Region, North-Central Indiana / Michiana Region, and Northeast Indiana. So if it falls within this region, and it's substantial, it's fair game for this thread -

Source Wikipedia

The cities highlighted below are organized by population and are arranged from largest to smallest (2019 estimates) -

Code:

Fort Wayne - Allen County
Population: 270,400

Source: Matador Network

South Bend - St. Joseph County
Population: 102,000

Source: WVPE

Hammond - Lake County
Population: 75,500

Source: Wikipedia

Gary - Lake County
Population: 74,00

Source: Delta Institute

Elkhart - Elkhart County
Population: 52,400

Source: Elkhart County CVB

Mishawaka - St. Joseph County
Population: 50,400

Source: Wikipedia

Portage - Porter County
Population: 37,000

Source: NWI Times

Merrillville - Lake County
Population: 34,800

Source: Wikipedia

Goshen - Elkhart County
Population: 34,200

Source: Wikipedia

Valparaiso - Porter County
Population: 33,400

Source: Joey BLS Photography

Michigan City - LaPorte County
Population: 31,100

Source: Uptown Arts District

Crown Point - Lake County
Population: 29,900

Source: Joey BLS Photography

Duneland Area (Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor) - Porter County
Population: 20,800

Source: NWI Times

Unless noted otherwise, all projects for each location are arranged first by status, then by cost, if known (most to least expensive). The rundown will be updated as time goes on -

Status Order:

under-construction (listed first)
approved / proposed (listed second)
completed (listed third, newest to oldest)
cancelled / demolished (listed last)

Fort Wayne

Code:

Electric Works, under construction ($300 - $450 million)
(general location)

Source: Fort Wayne Electric Works

High Street Riverfront Development (multi-phase), under construction ($250 million)
(general location)

Source: WANE | Courtesy Domo Development

Riverfront at Promenade Park, under construction ($90 million)
Northeast corner of Superior and Harrison Streets

Source: WANE 15 News | Courtesy Rendering

Amazon Warehouse, under construction ($60 million)
(general location)

Source: WANE 15 News

Fort Wayne Airport West Terminal Expansion, under construction ($47 million)
(general location)

Source: Fort Wayne International Airport

The Ashberry (STAR Financial Bank HQ), under construction ($43.4 million)
215 W Main St.

Source: WANE 15 News | Courtesy STAR Financial Bank

Indiana Tech Zollner Engineering Center Expansion, under construction ($21.5 million)
(general location)

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly | Contributed

Fort Financial Credit Union HQ, under construction ($9 million)
(general location)

Source: LinkedIn | Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.

North River soccer stadium complex, proposed ($150 million)
(general location)

Source: WANE 15 News | Courtesy Rendering

Amazon "Project Mastadon" Fulfillment Center, proposed (~ $90 million?)
(general location)

Source: WANE 15 News | Courtesy Amazon

The Lofts at Headwaters Park, proposed ($70 million)
Northeast corner of Clinton and Superior Streets

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly ! Courtesy Rendering

"The Wedge", proposed ($51 million)
(general location)

Source: City of Fort Wayne | Barrett & Stokely Inc.

The Pearl, proposed ($50 million)
(general location)

Source: WANE

Village Premier, proposed ($50 million)
(general location)

Source: WPTA 21

202 Wayne, Mixed-Use, proposed (unknown $)
202 E. Wayne St.
<no image yet>

Lutheran Downtown Hospital, completed November 2021 ($120 million)
(general location)

Source: LinkedIn | Greater Fort Wayne Inc.

The Bradley, completed July 2021 ($26 million)
204 W Main St.

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly | Contributed

Amazon Delivery Station, completed October 2020 (~ $12 million?)
(general location)

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

Skyline Tower, completed August 2018 ($42 million)
855 Webster St.

Source: Weigand Construction

202 Metro (Fifth Third Bank Renovation), completed 2017 (~ ~24 million?)
202 W. Berry St.

Source: 202 Metro

Ash Skyline Plaza, completed May 2016 (~ $40 million?)
888 S Harrison St.

Source: Ash Brokerage

South Bend

Code:

Four Winds Casino - hotel tower addition, under construction (undisclosed $)
3000 Prairie Ave.

Source: casino.org | Courtesy Four Winds Casino

300 E LaSalle, under construction ($42 million)
East Bank neighborhood

Source: Matthews, LLC

Three Twenty at The Cascade, phase 1 complete, phase 2 proposed ($38.5 million)
(general location)

Source: Three Twenty at The Cascade

University of Notre Dame McKenna Hall Replacement, under construction (undisclosed)
(general location)

Source: University of Notre Dame

The United Way Southeast Neighborhood Center, proposed ($3.5 million)
corner of Fellows St. and E. Dubail Ave.

Source: LinkedIn | Millies Engineering Group, courtesy Arkos Design

St. Joseph County Library Expansion, completed November 2021 ($38 million)
(general location)

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

Press Ganey Administration Building, completed July 2021 (~ $20 million?)
(general location)

Source: LinkedIn | Majority Builders, Inc.

Barnes & Thornburg Building, completed late 2020 (~ $18 million?)
201 S Main St.

Source: btlaw.com

SBFD Fire House No. 9, completed July 2019 ($3.6 million)
2108 E Mishawaka Ave.

Source: Shive-Hattery

Hammond

(reserved)

Gary

Code:

Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, under construction ($300 million)
(general location)

Source: Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana



















...

Elkhart

Code:

Elkhart River District, multi-phase, under-construction ($200+ million)
(general location)

Source: Public Square: A CNU Journal

Elkhart River District Zone 1 Building, completed June 2022 (~ $20 million?)
(general location)

Source: LinkedIn | DJ Construction Company, Inc.



Tolson Center for Community Excellence, under construction ($11 million)
1320 Benham Ave

Source: LinkedIn | DJ Construction Company, Inc.

RETA Pregnancy Clinic & Family Resources, under construction (~ $2 million?)
116 W Jackson Blvd

Source: Inside Indiana Business | RETA Pregnancy Clinic & Family Resources




...

Mishawaka

Code:

New City Hall, Police & Utilities HQ, under construction ($20 million)
100 Lincoln Way West

Source: South Bend Tribune | Courtesy Rendering

Ironworks Plaza, under construction ($15 million)
(general location)

Source: South Bend Tribune

The Mill @ Ironworks Plaza, completed September 2019 ($45 million) 
235 Ironworks Ave.

Source: LinkedIn | Erica Stethem








...

Portage

(reserved)

Merrillville

(reserved)

Goshen

Code:

Elkhart County Consolidated Courts Facility, under construction ($94 million)
(general location)

Source: Inside INdiana Business | Courtesy Elkhart County / Byce & Associates, Inc.



















...

Valparaiso

Code:

St. Mary Medical Center addition, under construction (~ $10 million?)
3800 St Mary Dr.

Source: Building Indiana Business

Valparaiso Boys & Girls Club, under construction ($9 million)
708 Evans Ave.

Source: LinkedIn | Millies Engineering Group















...

Michigan City

Code:

LaPorte County Courthouse Renovation and Expansion, under construction ($18 million)
813 Lincolnway

Source: LinkedIn | Tonn and Blank Construction

Shady Creek Winery Expansion, under construction ($2.5 million)
2030 Tryon Rd.

Source: LinkedIn | Ancon Construction

Franciscan Health New Hospital, completed January 2019 ($243 million)
3500 Franciscan Way

Source: Draper & Associates






...

Crown Point

Code:

Franciscan Health New Hospital, proposed ($200+ million)
(general location)

Source: Northwest Indiana Times

















...

Duneland Area (Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor)

Code:

Indiana Dunes State Park Pavilion Restoration, completed June 2021 ($5+ million)
(general location)

Source: John Luke | NWI Times




















...

Blocky858 · #2 Posted **Jan 28, 2021, 12:48 PM**

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

Quote:

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 · #3 Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 2:26 AM**

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

Quote:

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.

Quote:

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 · #4 Posted **Feb 25, 2021, 1:07 PM**

Fort Wayne -

Quote:

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 · #5 Posted **Feb 25, 2021, 2:54 PM**

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 · #6 Posted **Feb 25, 2021, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

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.

Quote:

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 · #7 Posted **Feb 25, 2021, 6:34 PM**

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 · #8 Posted **Feb 25, 2021, 7:12 PM**

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 · #9 Posted **Feb 26, 2021, 12:56 AM**

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 · #10 Posted **Feb 26, 2021, 1:14 AM**

Quote:

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 · #11 Posted **Feb 26, 2021, 11:58 AM**

Quote:

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 · #12 Posted **Feb 26, 2021, 12:19 PM**

Quote:

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.

deja vu · #13 Posted **Mar 4, 2021, 4:11 AM**

It looks like we're back in business!

DetroitSky managed to shift the order of posts in a way that I can maintain the project rundown in post #1. Blocky, thanks for your support and patience. I will keep the rundown updated as we grow this thread. I tried to give credit to you too, for conceiving & launching the separate Fort Wayne post a few weeks before I launched the Northern Indiana thread. Even though they are now merged, I suspect that this thread will mostly focus on Fort Wayne projects due to its size and the amount of activity, with an occasional smattering of things from South Bend & smaller places in Northern Indiana mixed in.

I'm excited to see where this goes!

deja vu · #14 Posted **Mar 4, 2021, 12:53 PM**

Quote:

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

Blocky858 · #15 Posted **Mar 4, 2021, 6:42 PM**

Quote:

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

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

deja vu · #16 Posted **Mar 4, 2021, 9:08 PM**

Quote:

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 · #17 Posted **Mar 5, 2021, 4:57 AM**

Fort Wayne -

Developers behind Electric Works, the massive mixed-use proposal to repurpose this former GE complex, reached an important milestone in January. On Tuesday, January 12, 2021, the developers announced that they have secured sufficient funds to start remediation and the first phase of work, after 4 years of planning. The commitments received to-date now total a whopping $286 million, though I'm still a little bit confused by the total investment anticipated for all phases of work. Various sources have that estimate ranging from $300 million to $450 million. Whatever it is, I think this is the biggest project in the entire region right now, in terms of size, scope, and cost -

Quote:

Developers close on $286 million Electric Works deal; construction to begin
WANE Staff
January 12, 2021

Source: Fort Wayne Electric Works

deja vu · #18 Posted **Mar 16, 2021, 3:25 AM**

Fort Wayne -

Anyone willing to bet that this isn't a new Amazon fulfillment center? I'm not sure, since the Fort Wayne region already has 2 Amazon facilities - including a 630,000 SF warehouse currently under construction, and a recently-completed, 150,000 SF delivery station fit-out (both are near the airport). But at 2.9 million SF, and with documents filed with the state that describe the facility as "a new e-commerce storage and fulfillment center" that will "be owned, occupied and operated by a single tenant," what else could it conceivably be?

This would be built west of Kroemer Rd. and north of US-30, approximately here (and close to Sweetwater Sound).

Quote:

More details trickle out on ‘Project Mastodon’ at Plan Commission hearing
Jonathon Shelley | ABC WPTA 21
March 08, 2021

"Project Mastadon" site location -

Source: ABC WPTA 21

Amazon Delivery Station rendering - opened October 2020 -

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

deja vu · #19 Posted **Mar 19, 2021, 8:37 PM**

Fort Wayne -

Selective demolition for the Electric Works project is in full swing now. Here are some screen grabs from a video that Wiegand Construction posted. As you'll see, there's a lot going on -

Source: LinkedIn | Wiegand Construction

Blocky858 · #20 Posted **Mar 19, 2021, 11:56 PM**

I think I heard or read somewhere that this is going to be an expansion of Sweetwater.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deja vu

Fort Wayne -

Anyone willing to bet that this isn't a new Amazon fulfillment center? I'm not sure, since the Fort Wayne region already has 2 Amazon facilities - including a 630,000 SF warehouse currently under construction, and a recently-completed, 150,000 SF delivery station fit-out (both are near the airport). But at 2.9 million SF, and with documents filed with the state that describe the facility as "a new e-commerce storage and fulfillment center" that will "be owned, occupied and operated by a single tenant," what else could it conceivably be?

This would be built west of Kroemer Rd. and north of US-30, approximately here (and close to Sweetwater Sound).