Harrison Square

The City of Fort Wayne jumpstarted its downtown redevelopment by initiating a mixed-use urban redevelopment project called Harrison Square. For a downtown that had seen only $2 million of private development in the past decade, when completed this public-private partnership will bring nearly $150 million in investments to the mega-block development.

The centerpiece of the redevelopment project is a new stadium for Fort Wayne’s Single-A Baseball Team, the Tin Caps. Surrounding the stadium are residential condominiums, retail shops, a luxury hotel, city park, and parking garage – all bounded by newly designed streetscapes and two pedestrian plazas. Traditional style architecture and site design is felt throughout the project, while the sunken field and raised perimeter concourse provide 360-degree views of the playing field. The plazas are designed to handle the large amounts of pedestrian traffic generated during games, and the public park’s stage facilitates special events and performances in addition to providing seating during baseball games.

The Harrison Square project marked a key point in the history of development in downtown Fort Wayne. An expansive mixed-use development provides the necessary step for encouraging healthier, family-oriented downtown activity. JPR was able to bind the numerous spaces and structures as one, through well planned circulation, high-quality design, and a focus on the pedestrian experience.