Conceptual idea for North River Development unveiled<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
(January 28, 2011) – A director for the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Inc. has formally unveiled a\u00c2\u00a0conceptual development plan for 30 acres of undeveloped land in Fort Wayne known as\u00c2\u00a0North River.<\/p>\n
Headwaters Junction, an exploratory initiative of the FWRHS being pursued by\u00c2\u00a0Headwaters Junction, LLC and director Kelly Lynch, proposes a gateway project that will\u00c2\u00a0catalyze urban revitalization in Fort Wayne.<\/p>\n
For over a year Lynch has been conducting research and perspective gathering for the plan, marketing it to members of the civic, political, and business community, as well as\u00c2\u00a0various neighborhood associations and citizens. Encouraged by a wave of positive\u00c2\u00a0response, the conceptual plan is now available for review by the public at large at\u00c2\u00a0www.headwatersjunction.com<\/span>.<\/p>\nTaking cues from the city-lead North River Now, the conceptual plan aims to fulfill\u00c2\u00a0objectives of BluePrint Plus which recommend that the North Core be “transformed into\u00c2\u00a0a vibrant and vital regional attraction, create a walkable and urban mixed use area\u00c2\u00a0integrated with surrounding neighborhoods, strengthen the image of Fort Wayne as a\u00c2\u00a0family destination, and make the river central to downtown and the region.”<\/p>\n
Headwaters Junction will revitalize North River and downtown as a versatile attraction\u00c2\u00a0and mixed use anchor, creating a public space for recreational, social, artistic, and\u00c2\u00a0commercial activities. North River will be complimented by walkable pedestrian areas,\u00c2\u00a0green space and trailhead, water features, riverfront access, street scape for shops and\u00c2\u00a0retail, and an operating tourist railroad that embraces Fort Wayne’s cultural and\u00c2\u00a0historical significance, connects area points of interest and nearby neighborhoods, and\u00c2\u00a0enables citizens and tourists alike a unique and colorful way to experience the city.<\/p>\n
In addition, Headwaters Junction has been conceived to operate a short line freight\u00c2\u00a0railroad to help serve existing area businesses and encourage new business investment\u00c2\u00a0as well as promote enrichment and talent building through unique education outreach\u00c2\u00a0programs.<\/p>\n
“Cultural tourism in Indiana is a $4.9 billion dollar industry, with $415 million in direct\u00c2\u00a0expenditures being spent each year in Fort \u00c2\u00a0Wayne. Much of the state’s tourism occurs\u00c2\u00a0near Indianapolis and Chicago, this signals an opportunity for growth in Northeast\u00c2\u00a0Indiana,” says Lynch, a director with the railroad historical society and Headwaters\u00c2\u00a0Junction’s project manager. “Many cities across the country are looking at their own\u00c2\u00a0histories to create exciting and diverse attractions, some even adapting old rail yards as\u00c2\u00a0new urban cores. North River use to be one of the city’s ubiquitous rail yards and offers a\u00c2\u00a0dramatic stage on which to elevate Fort Wayne.”<\/p>\n
A major component to Headwaters Junction is an existing national tourist attraction\u00c2\u00a0known as steam locomotive no. 765 – a 1944 built goodwill ambassador restored by the\u00c2\u00a0FWRHS in 1979 after removing it for preservation from Lawton Park in 1974. Donated\u00c2\u00a0by the Nickel Plate Road in 1963 as a monument to the railroad elevation through\u00c2\u00a0downtown, the 765 is one of five mainline steam locomotives operating in the country,\u00c2\u00a0the largest operating east of the Mississippi, and experienced over 50,000 visitors and\u00c2\u00a0passengers in its sixteen days of operation in 2009.<\/p>\n
Stored at the FWRHS’ restoration facility in New Haven when not operating passenger\u00c2\u00a0excursions, the 765 is an uncommon cultural asset and tourist attraction whose\u00c2\u00a0operations typically take it out of Fort Wayne to other locations throughout the midwest.\u00c2\u00a0In 2011, the 765 will be operating trains out of Chicago, Union Station and Rock Island,\u00c2\u00a0Illinois. The 765 and a roster of other historic operating railroad equipment unique to\u00c2\u00a0the city and region will call Headwaters Junction home.<\/p>\n
Headwaters Junction is offered at a time when the region is looking for ways to establish\u00c2\u00a0a meaningful identity, improve quality of life, and inspire new economic development\u00c2\u00a0and as the city contemplates how to develop North River. Votes for the concept as a\u00c2\u00a0potential use for a portion of the I&M Light Lease money has garnered over 900 votes\u00c2\u00a0and as of this writing has earned 1st place on www.feedbackfortwayne.org<\/span>. Funding for a\u00c2\u00a0development of this type enables a multitude of underwriting channels, including private
\nand public partnerships, grant money for historic and transportation related projects,\u00c2\u00a0and corporate sponsorship.<\/p>\nThe public is invited to offer their feedback at www.headwatersjunction.com<\/span>. Workshops\u00c2\u00a0will be conducted at area neighborhood associations in the coming months.<\/p>\nThis press release may contain predictive statements intended as “forward-looking,”\u00c2\u00a0subject to uncertainties. Such predictive statements are not guarantees of future\u00c2\u00a0developments, and actual results could differ materially from those stated.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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