Mayor Henry kicks off gateway plan
Continuing with his commitment to commercial corridors and economic development throughout Fort Wayne, Mayor Tom Henry kicked off the start to the City’s plan to improve and enhance entry points into Indiana’s second-largest city. Henry welcomed the 14-member Gateway Advisory Committee at its first meeting today.
“Our gateways influence a visitor’s first impression of Fort Wayne, and they are an essential element in economic development,” Mayor Henry said to group. “As a result of stakeholder and public support for improving our gateways, I have charged planning staff to produce recommendations for our entries that will create a sense of place, instill a positive city image and promote investment.”
The committee will assist the City’s planning staff over the next year to write a 10-year strategy to enhance the corridors leading into Fort Wayne from places such as interstates 69 and 469 and the airport or destinations such as the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and downtown. When complete, the plan will go before City Council for adoption into the City’s comprehensive plan, Plan-It Allen.
The plan will address long-range and short-term recommendations to improve the function and aesthetics of existing and future gateways. Some projects can be implemented within the next year; others will take five to 10 years to implement.
It will include policies that encourage continued maintenance and enhancement of major gateway areas. Specific project recommendations could include landscaping, lighting, pavement design, signage and roadway design.
The plan will address both landmarks – a gateway at a single location such as the existing Fort Wayne bicentennial signs – and corridors, which extend along a street or highway such a streetscape improvement. Fort Wayne’s gateways may include a mixture of landmarks and corridors.
The committee members are:
• Cheri Becker, Leadership Fort Wayne
• Karl Bandemer, Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance
• Dan O’Connell, Fort Wayne-Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Jonathan Ray, Urban League
• Irene Walters, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
• John Shoaff, City Council
• Karen Goldner, City Council
• Nick Hobbie, Lutheran Health Network
• Rick Poinsatte, Steel Dynamics Inc.
• Kevin McCrory, LandPlan Group
• Nelson Peters, County Commissioners
• John Morrison, downtown bank employee
• Matt Kelley, One Lucky Guitar, Downtown Improvement District Board
• Debra Williams, Parkview Health
Becker and Bandemer are serving as the group’s co-chairs.