City officials and developers broke ground Tuesday on Victory Gardens, a new housing community on Fort Wayne’s southeast side.
Developers behind the 74-home owner-occupied community hope to demonstrate the potential of targeted housing investment.
The community sits in the city’s Tillman–Hessen Cassel Corridor.
Infrastructure for the project is supported by a $1 million grant from the city’s Legacy fund, another nearly $1.9 million from Indiana’s READI grant program and another $1.2 million loan to be repaid from lot sales and tax increment financing.
Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker says that opportunities for housing are critical to the current and future success of the city.
Other city officials praised the development as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the southeast side.
The project calls for 66 three-bedroom homes and eight four-bedroom homes. The residences will cost between $186,000 and $325,000.
According to city estimates, economic impact projections show that the development could support approximately 322 jobs and produce more than $5.2 million in state and local tax revenue.
The project prioritizes local labor and emerging, minority‑ and women‑owned contractors, reinforcing local workforce capacity and keeping Legacy Fund dollars circulating within Fort Wayne, according to the release.
