Fort Wayne, IN
Downtown Visions

The City of Fort Wayne wanted to develop a vision to guide public policy and private investments in the downtown area, design the public places and the buildings that frame the vision, and identify site specific catalyst projects. Planning NEXT designed and implemented a three-part intensive charrette process, named BlueprintPlus. Following the success of the BlueprintPlus vision, planning NEXT organized and facilitated a public charrette to develop an urban design vision and strategic plan for the North River Waterfront.

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Catalytic Process

BlueprintPlus identified 49 initiatives, of which 10 were considered to have the potential of being catalysts for further development. The planning NEXT team then designed and facilitated North River Now—a vision and strategic planning process for a 29-acre area just north of downtown which, through the BlueprintPlus process, was determined to hold great potential.

Implementation Results

Implementation Results Many of the 49 initiatives have been or are in the process of being implemented, including the conversion of one-way streets, the physical reintegration of the Library and the Grand Wayne Center into downtown, extensive beautification initiatives and a mixed-use project located called Harrison Square which includes a minor league baseball park, a hotel, retail, a parking structure, and residences with an easy walking distance from the downtown core. The complex was inaugurated a mere four years after the completion of BlueprintPlus.

Image: John McGauley via Flickr CC Image: John McGauley via Flickr CC

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Tags

Project Type: Downtown vision and strategic plan
Community Type: mid-size city
Client: City of Fort Wayne
Services: public engagement, urban design, visioning