The City of Fort Wayne invites the public to weigh in on Downtown Fort Wayne’s 10-year strategic plan, called "Make it Downtown: A plan for Fort Wayne’s next decade”.
The public engagement announcement Wednesday also came with a website and logo.
Mayor Sharon Tucker says the downtown has been completely transformed over the past 20-plus years, but it needs to continue moving forward.
According to a press release, the Make it Downtown will combine input from nationally-recognized planning and economic development professionals as well as local stakeholders and downtown residents.
Fort Wayne’s current downtown plan, Blueprint for the Future, was adopted in 2003. Within the past 23 years, subsequent updates and other work have led to more than $1 billion of investment.
Some of those projects include Parkview Field, the Harrison Square mixed-use development, Ash Skyline Tower, Superior Lofts, the Urban Trail, Cityscape Flats, The Landing, The Bradley, Promenade Park, Electric Works, The Pearl and Pearl Arts Center, Riverfront at Promenade Park, the Arts United Center expansion and more.
Development of the new downtown plan has broad support from community partners, with funding provided by the Allen County Board of Commissioners, Richard D. Waterfield Charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, Downtown Fort Wayne, Greater Fort Wayne Inc., the City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division, Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Fund, and SEED Fort Wayne.
The estimated completion date for the plan is next April, and will be presented to the Fort Wayne Plan Commission and City Council for adoption.
To weigh in on the plan, you can visit the city's Engage page here.
