The Journal Gazette

The prospect of a revitalized housing market in downtown Fort Wayne has captured much attention with the Harrison Square project. Meanwhile, revitalization already has begun just a mile southeast. Renaissance Pointe, a major urban-renewal project, represents a bold public-private undertaking that deserves a strong commitment from Fort Wayne's mayoral candidates.

Renaissance Pointe is a 36-block area south of the Fort Wayne Police Department headquarters on Creighton Avenue, bounded by Creighton, Pontiac Street, Hanna Street and South Anthony Boulevard. The model for the project is Fall Creek Place, an urban-revitalization project that has transformed a blighted area two miles north of downtown Indianapolis into a vibrant, attractive neighborhood of affordable homes. The common thread is Mansur Real Estate Services, which is partnering with the city of Fort Wayne in creating a 400-home community of new homes and rehabilitated homes.

Renaissance Pointe builds on improvements made or planned in the former Hanna-Creighton neighborhood. The Fort Wayne Urban League, Pontiac Library, CANI Head Start and a Citilink terminal fill the St. Peter's-Zion Lutheran campus on the northwest perimeter. The Old Fort YMCA is planning to build a $7-million fitness center just south of the police station, near the heart of Renaissance Pointe.

The city's role in the project has been to coordinate the development, as well as to handle the demolition of abandoned houses to make building lots available and to oversee the rehabilitation of existing homes.

The project also has a strong private investment component. Six model homes are now under construction. Delagrange Homes, Ideal Builders and Lancia Homes each are marketing homes for the 'build-ready' lots. As incentives for the target market of first-time homebuyers and existing homeowners, National City Bank and Fifth Third Bank have special mortgage packages available. National City is financing the $900,000 investment in the model homes, including $140,000 for renovation of the city's model 'Smart/Green' home, designed with environmentally friendly and energy-saving features.

City officials predict as much as $70-million in investment, a boost that could transform Fort Wayne's near-southeast area. Mayor Graham Richard deserves credit for getting the ambitious project under way, and Renaissance Pointe deserves the support of whoever succeeds him.