Project Description
The City of Fort Wayne's Department of Neighborhoods is working closely with residents, businesses, organizations, and stakeholders in the East Central Neighborhood to develop a new ten-year strategic framework plan for project and program investment in the community.
The expected outcome of this work is a 10-year neighborhood plan that provides a shared vision and direction for the neighborhoods, providing strategies for investing in growth, building community, and improving the quality of life for neighborhood residents, businesses, and organizations.
You may ask why a neighborhood plan is important. The neighborhood planning process offers local stakeholders the opportunity to come together and shape the future of your neighborhood.
Neighborhood plans do a lot for a community, including
- (1) engaging residents and businesses in identifying a future vision for the area and providing strategies and recommendations for achieving that vision,
- (2) providing detailed recommendations for the neighborhood to ensure neighborhoods grow as envisioned by the plan, and
- (3) provide a level of analysis, detail, and guidance on issues affecting local areas that a "comprehensive" citywide plan cannot.
The last East Central plan was developed in 2005. In nearly 20 years the neighborhood has seen a lot of change, and updating the plan to reflect the East Central neighborhood today is important for future growth and development.
In short, everyone! This plan involves anyone who lives, works, worships, and participates in the East Central Neighborhood planning area, and we want to ensure your voice is included.
Direct involvement from the neighborhood's stakeholders and residents is central to developing a neighborhood plan. To ensure that the neighborhood planning process goes smoothly, a team of steering committee members, made up of residents, business owners and organizations in the East Central Neighborhood planning area, meet regularly to provide feedback and guidance in the plan development process.
Neighborhood Engagement
The City of Fort Wayne's Department of Neighborhoods hosted two community open houses:
- Wednesday, February 19th, from 5 to 7 pm at MKM Architecture + Design on East Brackenridge Street
- Thursday, February 20th, from 5 to 7 pm at the Foellinger Foundation on Berry Street
Several dozen East Central residents and stakeholders attended the engagement events and provided input on the upcoming East Central Forward Neighborhood Plan recommendations.
Investing in East Central
Images below show investments made in the East Central Neighborhood since the Summer of 2024. These projects are recommendations in the East Central Forward Neighborhood Plan and result from community input since the planning process began.
Nearly $200,000 in new sidewalks are being constructed on both Lewis Street and Hugh Street, improving residents' connectivity to Hanna Homestead Park and the Jennings Recreation Center. This project is supported through Mayor Sharon Tucker and 5th District Councilman Geoff Paddock.
Nearly $500,000 in new sidewalks are being constructed on Maumee Avenue and Anthony Boulevard near the Indiana Tech campus. In addition, several hundred feet of new curbs, sidewalks, and ADA ramps were added on Berry Street, Harmar Street, and East Wayne near the site of four new innovative homes being constructed in the neighborhood. This project is supported through Mayor Sharon Tucker and Indiana Tech.
Four new housing units were added to the neighborhood in a partnership between Community Development and Royal Development. The houses on the northern side of the East Central Neighborhood include four innovative models, including Fort Wayne's first shipping container home on East Berry Street. These lots have been vacant for several years and will bring new families to the neighborhood.
Share Your Input
Crucial to a good plan is the voices of the community. The East Central Forward plan is seeking input through a variety of outreach opportunities, including the following:
Interactive Map
English Survey
Spanish Survey
Contact Us
Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:
| Phone | 260-427-8311 |
|---|---|
| In writing | Citizens Square, 200 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne IN 46802 |
