Square Update

Water park OK'd at Harrison Square
Link (JG)

"Fort Wayne residents will get to enjoy a small water park and amphitheater as part of the $120 million Harrison Square development.

The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Board on Thursday approved the conceptual plan for the public park to be part of the downtown project."
[...]
"The public park will sit outside the ballpark’s outfield and serve as an amenity during games. At other times, it will be open to the public and offer a small amphitheater with benches and a water park, similar to the one at Headwaters Park, according to Al Moll, parks director. It will also have some open green space.

He said the project is estimated to cost between $500,000 and $550,000, but it will be financed primarily by a private donor. He said the private money has been promised, but the name of the donor – and the park – will not be released until later.

The water park was originally planned for Lawton Park, but Moll said the city decided to move it into the Harrison Square project."

Harrison Square Moving Forward
Link (WANE)

""The baseball stadium--the surface of the field--will be approximately 9 1/2 feet below existing grade. There will be things deeper than that; storm water tension and other things for the field. There are also basement areas for the condo-retail that need to be dug out," said Leatherman.

The work will get more noticeable by spring, keeping everything on track.

"We expect to receive bids on the 28th or 29th of November for the parking deck, and plan to award them the first week of December. That will be the first building that people will see come up out of the ground," said Leatherman.

There are still two approvals needed for the proposed walkway to the hotel to be built, and the Embassy Theater. The theater, and the Historic Preservation Committee must sign off on that. The Historic Preservation Committee could hear from the city on that proposal, before the end of the month.

A groundbreaking event will be held later this month on the project, marking the official start of construction.

Leatherman says Harrison Square is still on-time, but officials say it's been a challenge, given nationwide set-backs in the lending industry.

"It has caused some difficulties with regards to anyone trying to get bonds and get ratings for bonds, but we've got the right people doing the work to get it done the best way possible for the taxpayers," said Leatherman."