City Buys Property West Of Parkview

The Fort Wayne redevelopment commission plans on buying 18 pieces of land just west of Parkview Field downtown.  The plan is to use the land for a residential development project.   

"When this project is done it will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in property taxes," said Greg Leatherman, Executive Director of the Redevelopment Commission. 

Leatherman says the board voted to go ahead with purchasing  the properties just west of Parkview Field for a price tag of just under $2 million. 

The land purchased is the block surrounded by Ewing Street and Fairfield Avenue to the east, Brackenridge is to the north and south of Jefferson.     

Leatherman says the housing that is expected to go up will be more affordable than what's currently available downtown.

"The price point we hope to achieve will be slightly less than what the other products are at least that's the goal we have right now," said Leatherman.    

The project will be funded by the Jefferson/Illinois TIF.

"A good portion of that is used to pay the debt for the ballpark but also part of it is available for other projects such as residential projects so that's where the money will come from," said Leatherman.    

Jenny Burcham lives in one of the residential houses that the city is set to purchase and the announcement came as a surprise.   

"It's going to suck because I have to move because I have three babies," said Burcham. 

Burcham doesn't know where to turn next. 

"Now I have to find somewhere to go," said Burcham. 

"Instead of boarded up vacant houses there will be multi-family units that will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes," said Leatherman.