I'm sure many of you have read this article by now, but if not, take a look.
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/17255470.htm
Just want to see everyone's thoughts on this. Are you shocked to see Lafeyette as 25th in the nation and #2 in Indiana? Are you surprised Fort Wayne is that high or that low? Let's hear it.
8 comments:
I agree with Tom Smith's assesment regarding river front development.
"It would be a regional destination,” he said of the rivers. “It’s just waiting there for us.”
The Omni Source property presents an opportunity for FW to move forward on this. Travel to Indy and see the success they have had with the creation of the canal area near downtown. Great pathways exist for walking and biking along the canal.
Also, check out Winona Lake in Warsaw. They have done a marvelous job of creating a pedestrian friendly "village" which features shoppes, restaurants and art galleries.
FW has the potential to create a smililar enviroment here. I believe a great many supporters of the Harrison Square project would also support the proposed river front development for the Omni Source property.
I hope once a common "vision" is agreed upon for the development, the community and business leaders of FW will rally behind it.
How about a Single A stadium located nowhere near the River? Will that do?
The stadium will be "nowhere near the river?" You must have lived in Fort Wayne and never travelled anywhere your entire life, anonymous. A 10 minute walk isn't considered "far" in most places, quite the contrary actually.
Sure, it's not part of river development, but to say it's far from the rivers is laughable.
Andy,
Great ideas you have. I don't believe the Republican mayoral candidate would agree with you but I am sure the Democratic candidate has a better "vision" and implementation plan for Fort Wayne's future. There is so much potential for Fort Wayne development- we need people like you that has ideas that are appealing to us. Keep up the good job promoting Fort Wayne.
An argument I often hear regarding river front development is flooding. This is a valid point to address. However, this issue has not been a deciding nail in the coffin for cities that currently have river front development throughout the States, and for that matter, the rest of the world.
I am not an engineer, but I feel confident with careful strategic planning, by competent engineers, a river front development could exist in FW.
Imagine how great this city could be with the addition of river front development. It would be a destination for many people of not only FW, but the region as a whole. In my judgment, it is worth the risk in pursuing.
HS is a huge step in positioning FW for future growth and improving the quality of life and image of our city. We can not stop there. All too often in FW's history, we have a pattern of resting on our laurels (the Court House, Lincoln Tower, Memorial Coliseum, etc.)
A wise individual once said:
"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another "
pesky zoning laws governing flood-plain developments, and brownfield toxic waste remediation.
I have a great destination- wherever the good paying jobs are; because stupid politicians, bureaucrats, and greey developers are everywhere.
Sewage seeks its own level...
I'm not putting much importance on this ranking since not only were we beat by Lafayette, we were beat by South Bend and Evansville. But kudos to our public libary system which continually ranks at the top. And I agree that we should have done something more with the riverfront long, long ago.
Andy:
Flooding is an issue. The FEMA maps place most, if not all, the downtown riverfront in a flood plain. Developing the riverfront will be dificult since state statutes prohibit development in a flood plain. State administrative agencies such as the DNR, IDEM, etc. also have to be consulted.
While other cities have managed to develop along their rivers, every city is different. I recently drove around Dayton to see what they had done to enhance their rivers. They have literally denuded the river fronts of any vegetation, trees, etc., at least in the areas I drove through.
A river consists of that environment - who wants to walk along a canal and call it a river? Also, Fort Wayne lies at the western edge of what used to be the Great Black Swamp. Our soils are heavy clay.
I have said for years the flooding is a basin-wide issue, but no one seems to want to hear that. The City continues to wall in the rivers. If that is what is called river front development, then it needs to be stopped.
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