Harrison Square

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Published: Tuesday, 28 January 2014 11:40

Harrison Square is a mixed-use downtown development project featuring Parkview Field, a Courtyard by Marriott, parking garage, apartments, park, and retail/office space.  Harrison Square has received numerous national accolades, and Parkview Field has consistently been cited as one of the nation's best minor league baseball stadiums.  Below you can find source documents that trace the history of Harrison Square.  
Around the Square sub-Area Plan (September 17, 2007)
Exhibit for Hotel
Funding Relationships
Financial Data
Hotel Agreement
Stadium License Agreement
Stadium Management Agreement
Fact Sheet
BlueprintPlus Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions
City of Fort Wayne Harrison Square Financial Information
Downtown Community Revitalization Enhancement District Report from Crowe Chizek
City of Fort Wayne Memorandum to City Council Answering Questions from April 17, 2007 City Council Meeting
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Analysis by Crowe Chizek
Letter from Minor League Baseball to the City of Fort Wayne

Business

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Published: Monday, 30 December 2013 11:53

The City of Fort Wayne prides itself on its business friendly environment and pursues aggressive development partnerships between the public and private sectors. As part of the City's economic development efforts, staff provide direct liaison/support to Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Metro Chamber Alliance, support international trade, and provide services that support and stimulate business growth, community investment, and development.

Click on the links below to learn more on how the City helps new and existing businesses.  For a summary of all of the City's Business Development and Finance Programs, review our Program Fact Sheet here.

• Financing (incentives, grants and loans)
• Foreign Trade Zone
• SEED (incubator and support for entrepreneurship)
• Maps relating to Business Programs and Services
• Economic Development Commission
• Economic Development Partners
• Why Locate in Fort Wayne
• How to Start a Business

Redevelopment Commission

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Published: Tuesday, 22 October 2013 09:55

The Redevelopment Commission promotes and implements economic development projects, acting as a catalyst to redevelop blighted and other areas that have shown a cessation of growth and lack of development, especially in the downtown area.  This is done through techniques including real estate acquisition, site preparation, and infrastructure development. Financing resources generally used are Tax Incremental Financing and Redevelopment General Obligation Bonds.  Formed in September 1959, the Redevelopment Commission consists of five voting members appointed by the Mayor and the Common Council of the City of Fort Wayne and a nonvoting member appointed the Fort Wayne Community School Board of School Trustees. The Commissioners serve on an annual basis and are supported by an Executive Director, whom they appoint, and a staff which is housed within the City’s Community Development Division.

Redevelopment Commissioners
Steve Corona
Nathan Hartman
Christopher Guerin
Greg Leatherman
Ramadan Abdul-Azeez
Rohli Booker - School Board Appointee
Lawrence Shine - Commission Attorney

Link to IC 36-7-14, Redevelopment of Areas Needing Redevelopment Generally; Redevelopment Commissions

How to Start a Business

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Published: Tuesday, 22 October 2013 09:38

There are important steps to starting a business in Fort Wayne. The steps in our brochure, Key Steps to Starting a Business in Fort Wayne, Indiana give you a general idea about where to begin. For more in-depth information, review our Starting a Business Resource Guide: Permits, Licenses and Taxes.

Click HERE for maps that may be of interest when starting a business.

Click HERE for general information on starting an LLC in Indiana.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Starting a business can be confusing, so before you begin, do not hesitate to contact any of the agencies in Fort Wayne that can assist you with all of your business questions.  Please note that Fort Wayne does not have a general business license. Resource agencies are available in Fort Wayne to provide start-up counseling and can be found below.

Build Institute Fort Wayne
Powered by SEED Fort Wayne
1830 Wayne Trace
Fort Wayne, IN 46803
www.seedfw.org  

Business Consulting
NE Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
4312 Hobson Road, Suite B, Hobson Center Building
Fort Wayne, IN 46815
(send mail c/o PFW 2101 Coliseum Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805)
(260) 481-0500
www.isbdc.org

Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (The NIIC) and
Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center (WEOC)
3201 Stellhorn Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46835
(260) 407-6442
www.niic.net

Brightpoint Development Fund 
Credit Builder & Small Loan Programs
227 E. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 423-3546
www.mybrightpoint.org (search small business loans or financial literacy)

Atrium Powered by Start Fort Wayne 
Co-working space enabling entrepreneurs to grow their businesses
111 W. Berry St., Suite 211
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 969-9393
www.atriumfw.com 

SCORE Northeast Indiana (Service Corp of Retired Executives)
3201 Stellhorn Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46815
(260) 422-2601
https://northeastindiana.score.org/

Business Information

Allen County Public Library - Business Technology
Main Branch - 900 Library Plaza
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 421-1200
www.acpl.lib.in.us

State of Indiana — State Information Center
402 West Washington Street, Room W160A
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Toll free: 1-800-457-8283 or 1-888-855-3838 (Spanish)
www.in.gov

Affiliate Organizations

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Published: Monday, 19 August 2013 16:40

The City of Fort Wayne partners with a number of affiliate organizations in order to improve our community's local economy and quality of life. Below is a list of these organizations along with a brief description. To visit their websites, simply click on each organization's logo or icon.

The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership is an economic development team serving as a single point of contact to businesses interested in locating to the 10-county region. The Partnership operates on the principle that to create business investment in the region, it must not only generate business leads, but also develop the product that is Northeast Indiana and work on the effectiveness of what we call the regional team—strategic partners who collaborate to better the region.

The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (The NIIC) helps entrepreneurs launch and businesses grow. The Innovation Center is the country's only ISO9001:2008 registered business incubation acceleration program, serving entrepreneurs, business owners and existing business owners who want to launch, expand or re-invent a company. We are host to the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Center (WEOC), one of tow U.S. SBA designatted Women's Business Centers in Indiana. Innovation takes courage, and the NIIC honors entrepreneurs by taking them seriousy and assessing their innovation and business concepts professionally. The NIIC was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as one of hte top four under-the-radar incuabors in the country. In the magazine's words, The NIIC stands out in a state not always perceived as small business friendly.

The Community Development Corporation of Northeast Indiana (CDC) is a City of Fort Wayne sponsored 501 c (6) not for profit business development organization. Their primary objective is to promote the growth and development of small commercial and industrial for profit businesses in Indiana through creative loan programs. Since their inception in 1978, they have loaned over 52 million dollars to small businesses with an additional 131 million of private funds contributed to those projects and have helped create or retain over 4000 jobs.

The Fort Wayne Urban Enterprise Association debuted in 1984 with a revitalization plan to breathe new life and energy into the Fort Wayne's industrial core. The UEA is a small business incubator which can provide manufacturing, research and development, and office space. The Center can house several tenants concurrently in its 50,000 square feet facility in spaces ranging in size from 100 to 6,500 square foot. Because it is in the Fort Wayne Enterprise Zone, the Center offers its tenants access to tax credits and other business incentives. Start-up  businesses are able to grow and thrive in the Center because service costs are shared among companies.

The Greater Fort Wayne Inc. – Economic Development's goal is to further the base employment of Allen County through business retention, expansion and attraction projects. They work together with local, regional and state economic development partners to ensure that our community provides everything growing companies are looking for.

Greater Fort Wayne Inc. – Member Services represents the voice of business development for Fort Wayne, Allen County and Northeast Indiana. Their mission is to serve as the primary advocate for commerce and business within the Greater Northeast Indiana region by providing solutions and services for business that ensure our members have what they need to flourish.

Visit Fort Wayne is the official convention and visitors bureau for Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana. It is the not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to expand Fort Wayne's economy by attracting convention and leisure visitors. The Visitors Center serves as a "front door" for our community, welcoming guests and offering visitor guides, maps, directions, event listings, and more.

The Downtown Improvement District (DID) is an Economic Improvement District established under State of Indiana statute. Their services improve the business climate of the district and allow owners of non-residential real property to more easily assess their own economic potential. The Downtown Improvement District's mission is to enhance the image of downtown Fort Wayne for the social and economic benefit of our community by providing special events to promote the downtown Fort Wayne area; providing enhanced beautification, cleaning and security to complement the downtown's wide range of services; and working cooperatively with local government to augment municipal services.

The ISBDC was created to have a positive and measurable impact on the formation, growth, and sustainability of small businesses in Indiana, and to develop a strong entrepreneurial community. The ISBDC creates a positive and measurable impact on the formation, growth, and sustainability of Indiana's small businesses by providing entrepreneurs expert guidance and a comprehensive network of resources.