Gazette's H-Bomb

Harrison project: Is it a square deal?
City says land buys fair; some disagree
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/17082681.htm

From the article:

"City officials are waiting for the results of appraisals on the property. Greg Leatherman, the city’s deputy director of development, said it will be about two weeks before preliminary results of the appraisals are back and about a month before the full reports are available."

"The taxable value of the 53 parcels the city bought (not including the parking lots Lincoln Financial is donating to the project) is about $6 million. The city paid about $12 million in assorted transactions that ranged from $15,000 to $2.4 million."

"One measure the city decided against was the use of eminent domain to acquire the most recent property so there would be “a willing buyer and a willing seller,” Leatherman said."

"Because the city now controls about eight square blocks, he said, it has many more options, making the value of the total area greater than the sum of its parts."

"And the area Harrison Square is planned for needs a turnaround: The most recent assessed values – which include trending based on neighborhood sales data – show land values decreasing dramatically."

What’s next for project?
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/editorial/17082716.htm

From the article:

"The project is scheduled to come up for discussion Tuesday. A final vote could be taken as early as April 24, two weeks before the May 8 primary."

"Council members are well-versed on the project, and much of their support and opposition are based on the project’s concept and financing. Unexpected language in the agreements could sway some members."

Harrison Square
Almost everything you want to know about …
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/editorial/17082711.htm
(includes a FAQ about the project)

From the article:

"For some, Harrison Square epitomizes the split between factions of Fort Wayne that want to move forward and those who don’t. For others, the issue is about money and reluctance – or refusal – to support a project that will cost the city about $63.5 million"

Harrison Square: Today and Tomorrow (multimedia)
http://jordan.fortwayne.com/jgweb/specials/multimedia/Harrison-Square/Harrison-Square.html