I spoke with Greg Leatherman this afternoon about my recent post.Â
Weigand, the construction manager for the property, is aware of the height and width restrictions imposed by the railroad viaducts. Weigand will be responsible for movements into and out of the project area as well as the staging area. It is felt that these movements will be limited and not interfere much with traffic. As I thought, another staging area is just not feasible at this point – this is the best possible option. Greg shared with me that a one-way sign has been ordered for the Brackenridge and Ewing Street intersection. Also, improvements to the Baker and Ewing Street intersection have been planned for and will probably be completed towards the end of the project.
I also spoke at length with Greg concerning my complaints about openness and the Redevelopment Commission. The Redevelopment Commission does not have a lot of staff running amok yearning for things to do (my words, not Greg’s). Add to this the fact that so many different people are to be notified every time something needs to happen and you can imagine the potential logistical nightmare. Greg said they are looking at ways to fix communication issues. The last thing I am going to say about this issue of openness is that I am talking about recent events and openness regarding Redevelopment Commission meetings and public hearings. When I talk about openness, I am not including what happened in the past regarding the genesis of the project. As I have stated, that’s over and done. If you don’t like it, change the law or get on with things.
Our meeting this afternoon was totally by chance and I appreciated Greg’s openness to talking with me about these issues. I also appreciated being treated with respect and being taken seriously. I’ve said it before on this blog and I will say it again: the Redevelopment staff have done wonders with what they have to work with. To be at this point in a project of this size speaks volumes about their abilities and passion about Fort Wayne.
See the original Harrison Square Staging Area post and Resolution 2008-05
Related Images:
