In Loving Memory of Mayor Tom Henry

Mayor Tom Henry today encouraged City residents to take an online survey about how government can better inform and engage them in ways to improve their community and neighborhoods.

The survey is available by visiting www.fwcommunitydevelopment.org/survey and will only take a few minutes to complete. The survey is only nine questions, plus several demographic questions.

(September 6, 2017) -- BWI, LLC is breaking ground on the first Moving Forward energy-efficient affordable housing and transportation development in Indiana. Posterity Heights in Fort Wayne, Ind. is a multi-phased development designed to provide net-zero housing, electric car sharing, an on-site early childhood learning center, education and job opportunities, healthy food and other amenities for traditional and single parents on a path to self-sustainability. The $42 million development will be built on the 28-acre site of the former McMillen Apartment parcel of land on the city’s southeast side (4209 Plaza Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46806).

October 27, 2016 - The $40 million Skyline Tower project is the final piece of an overall downtown development initiative of nearly $110 million that features Ash Skyline Plaza, home to the national corporate headquarters of Ash Brokerage, along with retail office and commercial space and the Skyline Garage. The redevelopment of this previously blighted block is comparable to the investment in Parkview Field, the Harrison, the parking garage and the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.

The City of Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission is contributing proceeds of a $4 million bond, paid through tax increment financing (TIF) to the Skyline Tower.

The City of Fort Wayne’s subsidiary organization, Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Fund, closed and financed a $17.5 million allocation of federal New Markets Tax Credits to support the new mixed-use Skyline Tower. This provided $5.9 million in equity to the project.

October 18, 2016 - Mayor Tom Henry today commended the beginning of construction on the $40 million Skyline Tower project in downtown Fort Wayne. The mixed-use development, led by Great Lakes Capital, a real estate private equity firm with offices in Fort Wayne and South Bend, features apartments and office and retail space along Wayne and Webster streets in downtown.

The project consists of 124 apartments, as well as retail and office space totaling 170,000 square feet. Retail, featuring a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, will be located on the first floor, while office space will occupy the second floor, and floors 3-12 will accommodate apartment units.

Cities United, the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Fort Wayne Fire Department will host the "Unity in the Community" Charity Classic basketball game on Thursday, November 12, 2015 from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Indiana Tech Schaefer Center. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana and Community Harvest Food Bank.

Beginning October 15, Riverfront Fort Wayne is launching a selfie scavenger hunt that encourages residents to get out and explore the downtown riverfront area.

In order to take part, residents need to visit www.RiverfrontFW.org for an official listing of scavenger hunt objects (architectural features, signs, plaques, sculptures, etc.) that are located in the Riverfront Fort Wayne study area. Then, participants must take a selfie with at least ten of the objects and post them to their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages using the hashtag RiverfrontFW.

The City’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services (OHNS) is seeking residents interested in buying a home in the West Central Neighborhood. The City owns eight blighted homes in the historic neighborhood; the homes will be rehabbed and offered for purchase to moderate- to middle-income residents.

Applications for the City’s 2016 Commercial Façade Grant program are now available online and during an informational meeting on October 21.  The Commercial Façade Grant program was introduced eight years ago by Mayor Tom Henry and provides local businesses the opportunity to apply for matching grants to improve the exteriors of their buildings.

Applications are available at www.fwcommunitydevelopment.org/facadeand during the informational meeting on Wednesday, October 21 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Omni Room, lower level of Citizens Square, 200 E. Berry St.

The City's five-year and one-year plans for investing Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dollars are now available for review. Comments will be accepted through the end of 2015.

The City of Fort Wayne is inviting residents to share their ideas for how North Anthony Boulevard can be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.

Residents have two ways to provide input. First, they can visit a workshop on Monday, October 12, 2015, 6-8 p.m. at Lakeside Park Pavilion #2, 1401 Lake Avenue. Or, residents may stop in at Lakeside Pavilion #2 any time October 12 – October 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to visit with consultants working on the project.

The City of Fort Wayne and Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. are inviting the public to help determine the future of downtown Fort Wayne. Residents are invited to the Downtown Blueprint Block Party, Thursday, October 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. on The Landing. A brief program will get underway at 5:30 p.m.

Free food and music will be available, as well as the opportunity to provide input about future plans for the downtown area. The Downtown Blueprint is Fort Wayne's strategic plan for downtown revitalization. First completed in 2002, then updated in 2005, it's now time to refresh the vision for the heart of the City.

Area citizens are invited to see the latest updates to the Riverfront Fort Wayne design concepts at one of two public input meetings. Both meetings will take place downtown at the Grand Wayne Center in Convention Hall A. The meetings are set for:

• Wednesday, October 29, 2014, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. with a presentation at 5:45 p.m. and
• Thursday, October 30, 2014, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. with a presentation at 11:15 a.m.

Applications for the next round of the City's Commercial Façade Grant program are now available online. The program was introduced seven years ago by Mayor Tom Henry and provides local businesses the opportunity to apply for matching grants to improve the exteriors of their buildings.

Applications for the grants will be accepted from November 12 through December 12, 2014; they are available online at www.fwcommunitydevelopment.org/facade or by calling 3-1-1. Questions may be directed to Aliza Tourkow, grants manager, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Monday, October 6 river walk that was cancelled due to the weather has been rescheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2014, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The walk starts at Fort Wayne Outfitters/Bike Depot, 1004 Cass St. RSVPs are requested but not required by calling 311 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Those planning to attend are encouraged to check the website www.riverfrontfw.org the day of the event in case of any weather-related cancellations.

Participants will take part in a guided walk alongside the St. Mary's River and learn about proposed riverfront development concepts. Local architects from Design Collaborative will sketch people's ideas for what they envision along the downtown riverfront.

Redevelopment of blighted areas requires planning, replanning, development, and redevelopment. These public and governmental functions are used when the ordinary operations of private enterprise cannot accomplish those goals because:

(1) the necessity for requiring the proper use of the land so as to best serve the interests of the county and its citizens; and
(2) the costs of these projects.

By State Statue I.C. 36-7-1-3, a "blighted area" means an area in which normal development and occupancy are undesirable or impossible because of:

(1) lack of development;
(2) cessation of growth;
(3) deterioration of improvements;
(4) character of occupancy;
(5) age;
(6) obsolescence;
(7) substandard buildings; or
(8) other factors that impair values or prevent a normal use or development of property.

The planning, replanning, development, and redevelopment these areas must:

(1) benefit the public health, safety, morals, and welfare;
(2) increase the economic well-being of the unit and the state; and
(3) serve to protect and increase property values in the unit and the state.

Tax increment Financing (TIF) (the amount of property taxes generated from new growth and/or development) over and above a pre-existing base assessed value, have been used by the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission since the early 1980's to fund public projects. Tax Increment Financing has been used by the Commission to repay bonds and for revitalization or infrastructure construction projects.