Downtown Fort Wayne Building Set for Redevelopment
(photo courtesy of Dan Watson/Greater Fort Wayne Inc.)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Allen County-Fort Wayne Development Trust has acquired a building in downtown Fort Wayne with plans for redevelopment. The trust says the Columbia Street West building will be transformed in a manner consistent with The Landing, a $32 million mixed-use redevelopment project.
Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed, though the trust says it purchased the building with assistance from the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.
The trust says it has worked for several years to acquire key development properties at The Landing in an effort to create a “vibrant, urban neighborhood that retains and builds upon the site’s unique history.”
Maclyn Parker, board president for the Allen County-Fort Wayne Development Trust, says the trust has been in talks with the building’s owners, John and Hank Freistroffer for years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic began affecting local retailers.
“The Columbia Street West owners were ready to retire the business and real estate, and most important, collectively shared a spirited, community vision to redevelop the property and business, consistent with The Landing’s current developer, Model Group,” said Parker. “The Landing is truly making history again as more people continue to want to live, work, and play in downtown Fort Wayne’s front porch.”
The trust says the Freistroffers will continue to own and operate the Henry’s on Main Street restaurant.
The trust says commercial build out of the building is nearing completion, though a specific timeline was not provided.