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With First Phase Nearly Ready For Construction, City Begins Looking Toward Phase Two

Zach Bernard/WBOI News

While construction on Fort Wayne’s riverfront development project isn’t set to begin until July, that isn’t stopping the city from planning what will come next.

Even though ground hasn’t been broken on the first phase yet, the city is already looking ahead to phase two. Parks and recreation director Al Moll calls the second phase entirely “conceptual” at this point, and notes the project will be far less intensive than phase one.

“It would pretty much be putting a frame on the riverfront, which will be a promenade walk area and extend the canopy trail," said Moll. "The city and the parks department would still be responsible for maintaining the riverfront’s public side, but it’s pretty much geared toward private development.”

Moll says he believes phase two could be done by 2020, with the full project completed by 2025, though that doesn’t account for any potential setbacks along the way.

Fourteen bid packages for riverfront construction for phase one were also approved by the board, setting them up for introduction to Fort Wayne City Council. They hope the contracts will receive final approval from council on May 23 so construction can begin in July.

Moll also noted the board was working through naming rights for the final development. Ambassador Enterprises recently donated $500,000 for naming rights of the riverfront’s 850-seat amphitheater.

Zach joined 89.1 WBOI as a reporter and local host for All Things Considered, and hosted Morning Edition for the past few years. In 2022, he was promoted to Content Director.
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