The low-income housing development at the heart of the $14.5 million redevelopment of Fort Wayne’s former Coca-Cola bottling plant officially opened Monday afternoon.
Announced in February 2016, the Bottle Works Lofts complex on Pontiac Street will feature 31 rental units, a community room, fitness center, indoor/outdoor playgrounds and more. It will also offer 19 lease-to-purchase single-family homes with detached garages throughout the Renaissance Pointe neighborhood.
Denise Andorfer is the executive director of Vincent Village, one of the partners involved in bringing Bottle Works Lofts to life. She says the complex will be able to house 50 families.
“It will allow people to not be rent burdened; it will leave more money for investment in health and transportation, child care; and it makes a win-win for the entire community,” Andorfer said.
The plant was built in 1943, and eventually purchased by the City of Fort Wayne in 2012. Three years later, Henry approved a request for proposal (RFP) for the property from Miller Valentine, Vincent Village and Martin Riley Architects and Engineers, with ground breaking in January 2017.
The project was largely funded with Housing and Urban Development dollars. Additional support came from various tax credits provided and disbursed by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, PNC Bank and the National Park Service.
