(rshsdepot) Fort Wayne, IN

["jdent1_@_optonline.net" <jdent1@optonline.net>]

Tue, Dec=2E 03, 2002=20

Ex-OmniSource site may be renewed
Lofts, storefronts may be down the track=2E
By Mike Dooley of The News-Sentinel

In its heyday, the New York Central Railroad was known for some of the bes=
t
food served in the dining cars of America's passenger trains=2E=20
Today, the railroad is gone=2E But one vestige that remains in Fort Wayne
might bring some of that long-lost glory back as part of a way to breathe
life into one of downtown Fort Wayne's entryways=2E=20
City Council tonight will consider a proposal to make the former OmniSourc=
e
industrial site west of Clinton Street and north of Fourth Street an urban=

development area=2E Long the scene of a metal scrap operation, the 28-acre=

parcel now is silent, with vacant buildings=2E=20
Those who dream of urban landscape now refer to the site as NorthRiver, an=
d
see the ground as ripe for development=2E They see loft apartments in some=
 of
the brick buildings, along with a small commercial presence, a footbridge
linking it to Headwaters Park across Fourth Street, and even restoration o=
f
the New York Central freight house at Fourth and Clinton for use as an
upscale restaurant=2E=20
For many years, the property remained hidden behind a tall fence with the
sounds of the scrap operation giving the only hint of what went on there=2E=
 A
metal recycling program the company ran brought the general public to the
site, and for some time, it was best-known for the garishly painted
railroad cars that sat rusting next to Clinton=2E=20
The fence still hides much of the parcel, but for little reason=2E The scr=
ap
operation has moved to the city's east side, and today about the only trac=
e
of OmniSource at the site is the company's corporate headquarters=2E=20
The company still owns the land, and would continue to do so if it is
designated an urban development area=2E The city will redo some
infrastructure like streets and sidewalks, but it will be up to a private
developer to turn the dreams of housing and commercial businesses into
reality=2E=20
Ron Fletcher, director of the city's Redevelopment Commission, said the
major impact of the urban development designation will be creation of a
special taxing district that encompasses the property=2E Taxes generated i=
n
that district could be set aside to be used only in the district, providin=
g
a pool of money for improvements=2E=20
The city estimates it could cost $3 million for infrastructure work, and
while a cost estimate for the major work hasn't been determined, it is
expected to be well in the millions of dollars=2E No timetable has been se=
t
for the work, and will depend largely on when developers willing to
undertake it come forward=2E



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=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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