Tuesday
The Embassy Theatre Foundation announced the walkway between the Embassy Theatre and the new hotel component of the Harrison Square project will be named in memory of Robert Goldstine. The Robert Goldstine Foundation contributed the $550,000 to the project. The City will pay the remaining $1.3 million for the project which will include a new elevator, stairwell and a separate elevator shaft. This according to the Journal Gazette.
Also on Tuesday, the Fort Wayne City Council appointed two new Redevelopment Commission members. Tom Obergfell of Tower Bank and Casey Cox, an attorney with Beers Mallers Backs & Salin will replace David Wright and Steve McElhoe. Read the Journal Gazette article for more details.
Wednesday
Mayor Tom Henry puts his $1,000 down on a condo in the Harrison. The media reported this as the 55th unit reserved and the Journal Gazette quoted Bill Martin, Martin Goldstine Knapke, as saying no one had asked for their money back. However, in the December 21st Journal Gazette, it was stated 55 had been sold. The Mayor’s should have been number 56? Not sure at this point. Journal Gazette and News Sentinel articles.
Thursday
An open house was held for local realtors to tout the Harrison and opportunities. WANE-TV quoted Mike Brita as stating 56 units had been reserved. The process of siging contracts should begin with the next week and at that point, the next phase of the Harrison Square project could be triggered. The second and third phases of the project include more retail space and condominiums. These will be built along Baker Street in the current Lincoln Financial Group Parking Lots, including the temporary lot constructed along Baker and Ewing Street. Work on these phases will not be able to begin until after the new Parking Garage is built along Douglas Avenue and Harrison Street.
Also, Brad Sturges from Developer CB Richard Ellis stated that,
“[we’ve talked] to dozens of tenants.
“Many are recognizing this as a very unique project that they rarely come across, which is helping gain the attention of some great potential tenants,” said Brad Sturges.
Those tenants include night clubs, to high end restaurants, and convenience stores… but none of the names of those tenants will be announced until a contract has been signed.
It still remains to be seen what convenience store will pay $32 per square foot to rent retail space. If they did, I would hate to have to pay the prices they will need to pay their overhead.  WANE-TV story.
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