RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS MOVING FORWARD – Message From The Mayor

I recently announced positive progress is being made in the City of Fort Wayne’s riverfront development efforts, including the first grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.

At a news conference on April 23, community leaders joined me to provide a status report on the initial steps being taken to enhance the City’s riverfront. At the same time, Jane Gerardot, chairperson of the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, announced an initial grant of $42,000 for a riparian development master plan.

At my request, a Riverfront Implementation Committee has been working to coordinate the riverfront plan and is focusing on a series of initiatives to move riverfront development forward.

Highlights of next steps in the riverfront plan:
*Property appraisals
*Environmental studies
*Development of riparian plan for maintenance/riverbank cleanup/implementation
*Perform soil boring work along the riverfront to assess any challenges that may exist
*Planning for special programming to include a variety of activities along the riverfront
*Engineering and design contracts for promenade
*Headwaters Junction feasibility study
*Ecology Center feasibility study
*Property acquisition

Click to advertise on this website

To make the next steps in the riverfront plan possible, we’re requesting $6 million in Legacy funding. The City’s funding request will provide a budget for portions of riverfront development work for the next two years.

I’m encouraged by the continued excitement and momentum we’re experiencing as we come together to make riverfront development a top priority. We believe the next steps that have been laid out will position us for future economic growth and an enhanced quality of life for everyone as we collaborate to make our riverfront a lasting legacy for our community.

The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne is a partner with the City to develop the riverfront. The Community Foundation has committed to providing $3 million toward the riverfront implementation efforts.

In addition, the City will apply to be considered to receive $3 million from the Allen County-Fort Wayne Capital Improvement Board (CIB) to be used for property acquisition for riverfront development.

In February, the City’s riverfront consultant, SWA Group, completed the City’s first-ever riverfront study and recommended building a waterfront promenade as the first phase of enhancements to Fort Wayne’s downtown riverfront. Work by the Riverfront Implementation Committee has focused on the first phase of the promenade on the south side of the St. Marys River.

Development along the rivers will take time. Potential projects will be done in phases over decades. Public-private partnerships will need to be formed for initiatives to get started and be successful.

Residents wanting to stay connected to the Riverfront Fort Wayne initiative may visit www.RiverfrontFW.org.