City Receives Positive Ruling on Southtown Case

The Indiana Court of Appeals today ruled the City of Fort Wayne can complete the acquisition of the former Southtown Mall site with no additional liability.

The former owners of Southtown Mall had appealed the local court'€™s award of damages following the City'€™s condemnation of the site. The Appeals Court affirmed the lower court'€™s decision as to the value of the property and ruled in favor of the City. 

“We are pleased by today'€™s ruling in favor of the City of Fort Wayne'€™s efforts to revitalize the former Southtown Mall site. Southtown Centre has a bright future,” said Mayor Graham Richard. “Southtown Centre is creating hundreds of new jobs and bringing hope and opportunity to an underserved area of our community.”

Several projects are moving ahead at Southtown Centre. A new Menards store is scheduled to open in mid-March. A new Firestone store will open next month. A new Wal-Mart supercenter will open in late summer/early fall.

STAR Financial Bank has agreed to build a new branch location at Southtown Centre. The new U.S. 27/Southtown intersection has been built. A first of its kind regional police and fire training academy is expected to open in late 2007.