Fort Wayne community development director to retire
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The community development director for the city of Fort Wayne is retiring next year, city officials announced Thursday.
Nancy Townsend, whose public service spans 33 years, will retire on Feb. 2. She has served in her role as director of the Community Development Division since September 2020.
In that time, Townsend helped oversee riverfront development, several public-private partnerships and market-rate housing development in the city. Some of those projects include The Riverfront at Promenade Park, The Lofts at Headwaters Park, The Bradley hotel and the Ash Skyline Plaza.
Prior to leading the community development division, Townsend was director of the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission and manager of development services for City Utilities. She also, earlier in her career, was a senior planner in the Community Development Division.
“I’ve truly treasured my time in public service,” Townsend said in a news release. “I want to thank Mayor Henry, my staff, and all of the business and neighborhood leaders who’ve made my experience in local government one that I’ll never forget. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next as I want to continue to make a positive difference in the community and region.”
City officials did not speak about their future plans for the community development division director position.
“Nancy is going to be missed,” Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry said in the release. “She’s an effective leader and has been part of several unique and exciting initiatives that have positioned our community for current and future success. I’ve always appreciated and admired Nancy’s work ethic, her unwavering commitment to detail and seeing projects through, and her desire to want what’s best for residents and neighborhoods.”