Mayor: 3 Harrison Milestones reached

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)  Mayor Tom Henry announced Tuesday morning that financing for The Harrison retail/residential development in downtown Fort Wayne has been completed, construction is formally underway and a campaign to market 44 upscale apartments in the building has been launched.

So far three businesses have committed to locating in the Harrison.  A Three Rivers Federal Credit Union, law offices of Carson Boxberger and O'Reilly's Irish Bar.   Negotiations to bring a major restaurant and a health club to the development are ongoing according to developers.

The Harrison is part of the overall Harrison Square development first announced in 2007 by then Mayor Graham Richard as a means to revitalize downtown Fort Wayne.  Several of the components related to Harrison Square, Parkview Field and a Courtyard by Marriott Hotel and a parking garage have been completed.

The Harrison retail/residential development was originally intended to contain condominiums and it has seen several delays.

"Thank you, to the citizens of Fort Wayne for hanging with us, for believing in us and for having patience so that we could get this project done," Henry, said.

Leaders expressed optimism as the final phases of the project neared and hoped it would be embraced by the entire community.

"I just hope the community is now accepting of this and it will be more of a positive opportunity to move forward rather than taking some of the pessimistic views that this community sometimes is known for," Mark Hagerman, project principal and CEO of The Hagerman Group said.

The Harrison's completion date is scheduled for February 1, 2013.