Our Community
Electric Works to Open Next Year By Peggy Werner
F
ort Wayne’s former General Electric Company campus is being transformed into a modern-day mixed-use district called Electric Works that’s one of the largest projects of its kind in the Midwest and an important addition to Fort Wayne’s downtown. After five years of work, the countdown has begun toward opening the first phase next year. “We’re almost 70 percent pre-leased on the west campus, which will be open to the public in about one year. Not all tenants will be in, but the buildings will be move-in ready,” says Jeff Kingsbury of Ancora, the lead developer of Electric Works. “We’ve been planning, putting together financing, and working with the community over the past five years to bring this project to life. We’re hoping it will be a center of gravity and a hub for innovation, energy, and culture for Northeast Indiana, while also being
an inspiration for future job growth and more.” In 2017, RTM Ventures LLC, a partnership led by Ancora and based in Durham, NC, acquired the former General Electric manufacturing campus, which consists of 39 The 39-acre former General Electric manufacturing campus inacres and 18 historic buildings cludes 18 historic buildings with 1.2 million square feet of space. with 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment and other commuspace. The redevelopment of the GE camnity uses. pus and repurposing of its buildings and The $126 million second phase is grounds is a public/private partnership still in planning stages and will include between RTM Ventures and the City of 297 apartments, an early childhood learnFort Wayne. The property is within easy ing center, a fitness/wellness center, comwalking distance of the downtown and mercial space and a 1,141-space parking riverfront. garage. The project is divided into numerous In June 2020, the Fort Wayne Comphases, the first having begun in January munity School Board approved a 10-year 2021 with an expected completion date in lease for the development of a new Scilate 2022. The $286 million first phase inence, Technology, Engineering, Art and cludes more than 700,000 square feet of Math high school (STEAM) at Electric space for offices, education, healthcare, Works, named Amp Lab. ❚
Tell them you saw it in ... Smart Living Fort Wayne
October 2021 • III
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