Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana

Riverfront Development

Plan suggesting a civic center marking noted historic site "Glorious Gate" : embellishing entrance to the proposed Anthony Wayne Maumee River Parkway, Fort Wayne to Toledo by Hanna, Robert B; Bradley, LeRoy; Fort Wayne (Ind.). City Plan Commission, Publication date 1934 on Archive.org.

Reproduced above is a plan of a civic center for Fort Wayne made by Robert B. Hanna, Consultant to the City Plan Commission, assisted by LeRoy Bradley, a local architect. As described by Mr. Hanna in an article in today's News-Sentinel, the principal existing feature of the plan is the new Filtration Plant; and its principal proposed features are these: A group of five public buildings at the end of East Berry Street, to be terminated at Lafayette Street; relocating the East end of Main Street, bringing it in line with the bridge at the confluence; bridge at Lafayette Street — Spy Run Avenue; re-arranging street car lines, running them straight with these bridges; fourfold arch memorial spanning street intersection that would displace Old Fort Park; municipal pier and boat house; park areas; large fountain; statutes of Washington, Wayne and Little Turtle; beautified river banks; and a system of riverside drives about the confluence that could be extended up along the St. Joseph and St. Mary's rivers to towns above and down along the Maumee to Toledo.

Glorious Gate In that famous debate between General Anthony Wayne and Chief Little Turtle at conference which terminated in the Greenville Treaty of Peace. Little Turtle's main contention was for a large tract of aand about this confluence and in his eloquent speech he referred to this location as That Glorous Gate through which all the worlds of our chiefs have had to pass from the north to the south and from the east to the west.

Anthony Wayne Wayne's victorious campaign was the most noteworthy ever carried on against them (the Indians of the Northwest) for it brought the first lasting peace on the border and put an end to the bloody turmoil of forty years fighting. It was one of the most striking and weighty feats in the winning ofthe West - Theodore Roosevelt.

Features Marking Historic Sites Kekionga Park
Miami village known as early as 1682.
East Main Bridge - route of Wayne's arrival - Sept. 17, 1794.
North Half-City Hall - fort christianed Fort Wayne. October 22, 1794.
Memorial - Main & Clay - fort built by Colonel John Hunt in 1800.
Rebuilt by Major Whistler 1815.
Portage Road - eastern terminal of Most famous portage in America.
Boat Landing - south end of Lafayette Bridge marks site of Pirogue or canoe landing in days of river transportation
Drive, Linking Columbia with Erie Street, marks course of old Wabash and Erie Canal
Harmar's Ford - site of Harmar's Defeat, October 22, 1790.

Railroad Consolidation - If the N.Y.C & St. L. railroad tracks should be abandoned, and their trains be routed through Fort Wayne over the Pennsylvania and Wabash tracks. Then a Riverside Drive should displace this R.R. right-of-way and this plan be revised accordingly

2015/02/04: City of Fort Wayne Riverfront Development Plan by AroundFortWayne posted Feb 4, 2015 on YouTube
Video from the SWA Group and City of Fort Wayne summarizing the riverfront development plans for downtown Fort Wayne Indiana.
See Photos and video from last month’s Big Reveal posted March 4, 2015 by AroundFortWayne.com.

  1. Riverfront Fort Wayne is the name for development of the 3 rivers in downtown Fort Wayne started in 2015 with a conceptual plan drawn up and shared with the community. Read more on their History page and follow on Facebook.
  2. Explore Fort Wayne's Three Rivers various articles by Visit Fort Wayne.
  3. Promenade Park by City of Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation.
  4. A Riverfront View Development is taking root by Jeff Wiehe published May 2, 2017 on Fort Wayne Magazine.

April 11, 2017 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

Great news today from the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority on Riverfront Fort Wayne Development.

Promenade Park posted March 22, 2021 by Friends of the Rivers on YouTube.

Episode 125: Drinking Water by Granite Ridge Builders posted Oct 15, 2019 on YouTube
Learn more about the process of getting drinking water from the river, filtration plant, and to the home. We will explore this topic at one of Fort Wayne's newest and popular destinations, Promenade Park!
Granite Ridge also has videos called Episode 6: Water (Part 1) April 2, 2015, Episode 7: Water (Part 2) May 15, 2019, and Episode 126: Water Management November 21, 2019.

There Are Rivers by Dale Enochs posted September 11, 2021 by Fort Wayne Museum of Art on YouTube
100 Years ago, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art organized into a professional organization after starting with art classes in the homes of the West Central neighborhood in 1888. That organization - the Fort Wayne Museum of Art and School - graduated dozens of artists that, today, are still part of our vibrant arts community.
Dale Enochs is one of those artists, a Fort Wayne native and graduate of the Fort Wayne Art School. He's gone on to create dozens of public sculptures around the state, but this is his first in Fort Wayne.
The sculpture is called "There Are Rivers", and it pays homage to the 3 rivers that converge in Fort Wayne and their role in the development of the land and community.

February 23, 2023 post by Riverfront Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Preparations have begun for phase two of the construction projects at the Riverfront Fort Wayne public space.

Riverfront at Promenade Park

124 W. Superior Street, Street View photo from Google maps , user submitted photos
Across from Promenade Park and the Cambray Building moved in 2018 to the right outside the Street View image.

Website: https://www.riverfrontatpromenadepark.com/. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riverfrontpromenadepark

The website states: Located on the 'Downtown Urban Trail' adjacent to Promenade Park, Riverfront at Promenade Park is designed illusively of all glass windows on one side, 15,000 square feet of retail space, 25,000 square feet of office space, and a 900 space parking garage. This community boasts private courtyards, gathering space, expansive patios and so much more with views of Downtown, Promenade Park, and the river for all of our future residents.

December 8, 2016 post by City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

Updated riverfront development designs have been unveiled. We're encouraged by the continued progress in investing in our rivers.

UPDATED RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT DESIGNS UNVEILED

December 5, 2019 post by Promenade Park Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Riverfront Fort Wayne Neighborhood Master Plan and Public Space Design Presentation [34 minutes]

DAVID RUBIN Land Collective presents design concepts for the Phase II and Phase III public spaces of Fort Wayne's Riverfront development. Once designs are finalized construction of Phase II is expected to begin in 12-18 months.

February 27, 2023 post by Greater Fort Wayne Inc. on Facebook:

What a difference at The Riverfront at Promenade Park! 🤩

📷 from this month and May 2021

June 27, 2023 post by City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

Momentum continues on Riverfront Fort Wayne.

Mayor Tom Henry and community leaders today led a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of The Riverfront at Promenade Park and the completion of Riverfront Park Public Space Phase IIa.

Read more: MAYOR HENRY LEADS CELEBRATION OF GRAND OPENING FOR THE RIVERFRONT AT PROMENADE PARK AND RIVERFRONT PARK PHASE IIA

June 27, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation on Facebook:

The City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division, Parks and Recreation Department, development partner Barrett & Stokely, elected officials, and community leaders were part of a ribbon-cutting and Grand Opening of The Riverfront at Promenade Park and Riverfront Park Phase IIa.

July 1, 2023 post by Riverfront Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Fort Wayne officials marked the completion of Riverfront Park Phase IIa. The rest of phase II, on the north side of the river, is the next step to be completed.

September 20, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation on Facebook:

The future of Riverfront Fort Wayne continues the mission to energize our downtown and unite our community.

September 20, 2023 post by City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:

Today, Mayor Tom Henry and city leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction on Riverfront Fort Wayne Phase IIb Public Open Space.

Read more: MAYOR HENRY LEADS RIVERFRONT PHASE IIB GROUNDBREAKING CELEBRATION

September 22, 2023 post by Riverfront Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Riverfront Phase IIB Groundbreaking Celebration: Mayor Henry Leads Riverfront Phase IIB Groundbreaking Celebration

“This inviting second phase of the Riverfront development continues the mission to energize and unite the community,” notes Steve McDaniel, director, Parks and Recreation.

October 15, 2023 post by Riverfront Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Riverfront Phase IIa is designed primarily as a connection between Promenade Park and Headwaters Park, filling in a missing piece of park space and providing a vital connection between what will now be nearly one acre of public park space on the south side of the St Marys River.

“Bringing more access to our rivers continues the dream to revitalize our natural resources using sustainable practices and provide new opportunities for recreation in downtown Fort Wayne,” said Director of Parks and Recreation Steve McDaniel.

More news: riverfrontfw.org/connect/#news

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