Saturday, September 15, 2007

Filling Spaces

On deck
CB Richard Ellis/Sturges looking for retail tenants for Harrison Square
Link

"Construction on the project is to begin this fall, and the $30-million stadium is scheduled to open for the start of the 2009 baseball season. Between then and now, tenants will be sought for the housing and retail spaces. Sturges wants the retail tenants — at least the anchor tenants — in place prior to the first pitch on opening day."

"The key for leasing the space is finding the right mix of tenants, Sturges said.

But before he even began seeking tenants, he talked with residents and downtown businesses to get an idea of what they would like to see housed in the new retail space.

“We’re getting good feedback from people and downtown businesses about what they’d like to see,” Sturges said. “There’s a few standards most people want, like a restaurant and bar, and a grocery or convenience store.”

Sturges said he’s looking for a good mix of tenants and doesn’t want to see Harrison Square become cluttered with restaurants, although ideally he would like to see one or two restaurants in place.

To that end, he’d like a land an upscale, nationally known restaurant that out-of-towners would recognize. There could be a second local restaurant, as well, he said.

Second, he said, a grocery or convenience store is another necessity for those who live downtown and others who are visiting that may have left something at home."

"“Our first goal is to secure a restaurant and some other service tenants,” Sturges said. “This is going to be a nice environment for families and for young professionals, so we want to have something that meets all those needs.”

The plan is to have the building constructed and turn the bare space over to tenants for their own interior build-out by the end of 2008. That will give those tenants time to be up and running before the Wizards begin playing at the new ballpark in the spring of 2009."

14 comments:

John B. Kalb said...

Brad Sturges - You better approach potential tenants with the possibility that there might not be a baseball stadium involved. It might make it and easier job for you. It's going to be very tough to sell Fort Wayne on living in a young persons "playpen" which is all it will be, if it ever happens. Please contact Judy & I when Hardball gives up- We are interested in the condos - but not if a baseball stadium is connected. John B. Kalb

Jeff Pruitt said...

Yes! Another chain restaurant, I can't wait...

Anonymous said...
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Unknown said...

Jeff, how many "chain" restaurants do we have downtown? He's not talking about fast food here. Something like a PF Chang's, Champp's etc.

Dan Turkette said...

Sturges is already telling lies about the stadium to prospective tenants. On their listing for the retail space they have this:

In addition, it is adjacent to the future home of the Fort Wayne Wizards baseball with current annual attendance of more than 250,000 fans (2006),

...and we all know that's a lie.

250,000 is not the correct number, that’s the number of tickets that were distributed. The actual turnstile count was just over 150,000 last year. You have to go through the turnstile to be “in attendance“.

In addition they're asking $32 a square foot. For 70 games I don't see a major chain leasing for that number when they can go 2 miles west for about $20 a square foot AND be in the middle of traffic year-round.

It looks like the payola worked for the Sturges clan.

Sturges donations to Graham Richard

Sturges Bradley - 50 Cash Richard 9/2/2003
Sturges Deborah - 250 Cash Richard 12/2/2002
Sturges Griffin Trent & Co Inc. - 2000 Cash Richard 7/23/1999
Sturges Griffin Trent & Co Inc. - 2000 Cash Richard 9/5/2002
Sturges Jr Richard - 500 Cash Richard 3/12/1999
Sturges Jr. Richard - 1500 Cash Richard 9/5/2002
Sturges Jr. Richard & Deborah - 500 Cash Richard 3/12/1999

Jeff Pruitt said...

Joe,

We have very few chain restaurants downtown and I for one think that's a good thing. It would be flatout ridiculous to spend the kind of money we are only to turn around and put some pisspoor national chain restaurant downtown. Unfortunately, I've felt from day one that this was highly likely...

Scott Bryson said...

Angry,

Where did you get you attendance numbers?

Change Fort Wayne said...

Please contact me as well - if JBK purchases a condo. I'd love to be his neighbor.

We could take the trolley to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe together.

John B. Kalb said...

Is that what it is going to take to find out who that "Change Fort Wayne " person is? I'm all for it - Brad, I can't help you to contact this person, but our name et al is in the white pages! John B. Kalb

Unknown said...

Jeff, I agree that downtown should not be home to a host of of national chain restaurants. However, would one or two kill us? Probably not. There's a lot to be said for name recognition and national popularity.

Scott Bryson said...

Sorry Joe but I don't agree. We don't need chain restaurants downtown. Let people stay in the burbs for that. I want to eat at a place that actually has good food for what I pay. Not something that I can get anywhere are the planet and pay an arm and leg for it. If I have the choice I will eat at a local place over a chain every time. It's better food and the money stays in Fort Wayne.

Unknown said...

but there are plenty of local places downtown already. Not to say we couldn't use more, but it's not like they are exactly lacking.

barranda said...

A restaurant is not bad because it is a chain. Conversely, a restaurant is not good simply because it is locally owned. The key is to develop an area that will entice the local market and those considering the holding a conference at the grand wayne center.

I visited downtown Louisville last weekend, where they seemed to find a nice balance. They had a Hard Rock, Fridays and Red Star. They also had a Pub, Maker's Mark Lounge (yes, this is a local establishment in Louisville), and a Mexican cantina. These were all located on the same city block and the experience was nevertheless exciting and unique.

Change Fort Wayne said...

The problem with a lot of franchises, is that they make you sign multiple unit agreements.

If downtown FW gets a franchise/chain restaurant, it needs to be one that has a single unit agreement. A PF Chang's would not have much draw to downtown if there were 5 units in Allen county.