Uncategorised - Fort Wayne Community Development

Bowser Buildings Update

Details: Published: Monday, 13 March 2017 15:46

Update as of October 5, 2017:
Environmental remediation on the site is complete and the land has been seeded. Eleven underground storage tanks were removed from the property and the soil surrounding the tanks was removed and replaced with clean dirt. The tanks contained petroleum products, which is common for industrial sites. The site is now considered "buildable." The executive summary from the environmental management consultant is available by clicking on the link below. Once the full report is completed, the City will also make that available.

Once the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has reviewed the report and signed off on it, the land will be transferred to the YMCA, which will use it as recreational space.

Meanwhile, the City is working with a consultant to design two historical markers memorializing Sylvanus Freelove Bowser and his company. The markers will be placed in nearby Bowser Park sometime in the spring or summer of 2018. If you would like to see a draft copy of the markers, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Executive summary from IWM Consulting Group regarding 1320 E. Creighton Ave.

Update as of July 31, 2017:
Residents may have seen some newspaper articles or TV stories about work going on at the Bowser site. The information contained in the articles is not new. That information has been available to the public for several months now and was an update that work on the site is progressing as planned. Even though groundwater was mentioned in one of the stories, no drinking water has been affected. All homes and businesses in the area receive drinking water from City Utilities, whose source of water is the St. Joseph River.

Before demolition began on the Bowser Building, Community Development was aware there were likely underground storage tanks on the property. The tanks are currently being removed and their contents being tested. They likely contain petroleum-based material. The tanks will be “cleaned” before they are removed and the soil around the tanks will be removed and replaced with clean soil. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) will sign off on all remediation work being done by the environmental contractor at the site.

The work being done is common for work on any former industrial site and is similar to work that was done after the Bowser tire fire in 1997. Demolition and remediation work will be complete before the end of the year

Information from March 2017:
Over the past several years, the City of Fort Wayne has been working with the McMillen Foundation to determine the next steps for the vacant Bowser buildings, 1302 E. Creighton Ave., which are owned by the Foundation.

After several years of gathering information from area residents and possible developers, the McMillen Foundation requested assistance with demolishing the buildings because developers found them too costly to rehabilitate. In order to be functional, the primary Bowser building would need completely new heating, cooling, and electrical systems, new plumbing, asbestos abatement, adaptations for ADA compliance and more. The City believes it is important to take down the buildings before they deteriorate further and have a negative impact on the Renaissance Pointe neighborhood.

Two historical markers will memorialize the Bowser Company and a public meeting to discuss the markers will be scheduled soon. Please continue to check this web page for a date and time.

The following documents provide more details about the process of taking down the buildings:

March 16, 2017 news release

March, 2017 letter to residents

Main Harrison RFP

Details: Published: Wednesday, 04 January 2017 13:18

The City of Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission is seeking proposals to develop an underutilized property in thriving downtown Fort Wayne, at the northwest corner of Harrison and Main streets.

Please review the following document for specifics regarding submission of a proposal. Inquiries may be directed to Craig Berndt by calling 311 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Request for Proposals: NW Corner of Harrison & Main Streets

Fort Wayne United

Details: Published: Thursday, 01 October 2015 13:59

WHAT IS FORT WAYNE UNITED?

Fort Wayne UNITED is a Mayoral initiative that places two national efforts, Cities United and My Brother's Keeper, under one umbrella. It is designed to answer the call to enhance opportunities, advance youth advocacy and help create a safer city for all, but more specifically for black men and boys. By bringing together a group of passionate and committed leaders, the initiative will educate, inform and engage the community in an effort to make positive change one neighborhood at a time.

VISION
Every black male in Fort Wayne is respected and valued and has the opportunity to achieve his full potential.

MISSION
Advocate for and implement policies, practices and procedures to ensure equity and opportunity for black fathers, brothers and sons at home, work, school and in the community through collaborative efforts.

Hotel Fitness Championship makes second appearance at Sycamore Hills Golf Club

Details: Published: Thursday, 19 June 2014 08:41

By Duke Butler, tournament director of the Hotel Fitness Championship

After months of bitter cold, the Fort Wayne community is more than a little relieved that summer has finally settled in. But the arrival of summer in the Summit City doesn’t just mean the return of warm weather, it also signals the start of summertime traditions, like spending a day at the Children’s Zoo meeting your favorite animals or catching a free concert at the Foellinger Outdoor Theater.

One of the newest summertime attractions for Fort Wayne families is the Hotel Fitness Championship, a Web.com Tour Finals event that will determine the 50 players who earn cards for the 2014-15 PGA TOUR season. From Aug. 25-31, the tournament is the place to be for golfers and non-golfers alike.

With its 25th anniversary around the corner and a newly renovated course, Sycamore Hills Golf Club is eager for the year’s biggest golf tournament to be played in the Hoosier state to make its return to Fort Wayne for the second straight year. Members, spectators and players alike will marvel at the enhancements made to the Jack Nicklaus Signature course in preparation for the tournament.

Spectators will have the chance to watch 150 golfers participate in an event that is televised on the Golf Channel both nationally and internationally in more than 180 countries. Last year, more than 5.5 million viewers tuned in, and 27,000 people attended the tournament. We expect an even greater turnout this year.

Those who attend can expect to see some of the best golfers in the world competing for a $1 million purse and will watch one player walk away with a $180,000 prize. Last year, 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman became the first to win the Hotel Fitness Championship.

Without the support of Hotel Fitness CEO Bruce Dye, this event would not be possible. He has an incredible vision for Fort Wayne and has made a significant investment in the tournament, which he hopes will make a lasting impact on the community. Dye’s support was crucial to bringing the Hotel Fitness Championship to Fort Wayne, but the support of the entire local business community is what will allow the tournament to continue returning. There are a number of options for corporate participation at a variety of levels, even for small businesses:

Nicklaus Skyboxes: These fan-favorite, semi-private open-air hospitality venues on the 18th green provide guests with an up-close view of the finishing hole. Each company will have private, stadium-style seating in the skybox, with food and beverages included in the package.

Mad Anthonys Pro-Am at the Hotel Fitness Championship: Participants play with a member of the PGA TOUR or Web.com Tour on Wednesday of tournament week with proceeds benefiting the Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope House and Evans Scholars Foundation. Individual and foursome options are available. Each foursome will have the opportunity to pick their professional player at a Tuesday night draw party.

Mad Anthonys Champions Club: A shared hospitality venue located inside the Sycamore Hills Clubhouse where guests will wine and dine amidst all the behind-the-scenes action. Champions Club guests also have access to upgraded pavilions on holes 9 and 16 for on-course viewing.

There are more opportunities to get up close to the action. Due to the size and popularity of this tournament, we will need 600 volunteers to serve on a variety of committees, which will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those interested in volunteering can submit an official volunteer application by visiting www.HotelFitnessChampionship.com and clicking the “Volunteer” link.

If you would prefer to come out and watch the tournament from outside the ropes, tickets are on sale now on our website. There are daily and weekly tickets as well as options for watching the players’ practice rounds and Mad Anthonys Pro-Am, ranging in price from $10-$65. Tickets with access to upgraded pavilions provide shelter from the elements, stadium seating with a better view of the course and access to cocktails and a variety of food and beverages available for purchase for $50 (daily) or $115 (weekly).

We also offer free admission for children and military members any day of the tournament. Juniors must be accompanied by a ticketed adult, and there is a limit of two juniors per adult. Military personnel must display a valid military ID and visit the Tickets & Will Call office onsite at Sycamore Hills Golf Club.

There are so many exciting things to do in the Fort Wayne area this summer, but we hope you’ll find a way to get involved with the Hotel Fitness Championship.