Study: GE Campus Needs ‘Anchor’

(Image of GE Fort Wayne Campus Courtesy: Save Our Fort Wayne General Electric Campus.)

A study on ideas for the vacant General Electric campus in Fort Wayne has been presented following a series of public meetings in February. Our partners at 21Alive report the results show people would like to see the preservation of the campus’ historic integrity.

The attendees of the public meetings, which were set up by the General Electric Campus Coalition, also said the campus needs an anchor attraction to draw in crowds. They also said the campus should be environmentally safe and eventually self-sustaining, according to 21Alive.

GE still owns the property and the buildings, but City Councilman Geoff Paddock, who also chairs the coalition, said it is important to keep a positive conversation going. 

"We feel that by shedding a positive light and looking at all of the positive aspects that there might be developers who will want to come forward and see if this something that could be a good business investment, not only for them, but something that would create jobs and economic activity," Paddock told 21Alive. "I’m very pleased that from where we were a year ago, we thought that maybe the whole thing would be coming down."

The study was funded by Greater Fort Wayne Inc. A copy of the study has been sent to GE officials. Kirk Moriarty, director of business development for Greater Fort Wayne Inc., told 21Alive positive relationships are being formed between GE and the coalition.