Passenger Rail Study Underway

Thanks to funding from the City of Fort Wayne, Allen County government, local foundations and businesses, a study to determine the feasibility of bringing passenger rail service back to Fort Wayne is now underway. The intent of the study is to detail what upgrades need to be made to rail lines and stations in order to initiate passenger service from Chicago through Fort Wayne and eventually east to  Columbus, Ohio.

“We believe the study will illustrate the tremendous economic impact that passenger rail service can have on northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio,” says Pam Holocher, deputy director of Planning and Policy for the City of Fort Wayne.

In addition to the feasibility study, City leaders and NIPRA (Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association) members have met with elected officials and community leaders in Columbus and Lima, Ohio to build partnerships and encourage development of a rail corridor to the east. Columbus, Ohio is one of the largest U.S. cities without passenger rail service.

“Building a strong regional coalition is important to this effort,” said Holocher. “Together, we’ll have more leverage when lobbying the Federal Rail Administration for funding.”

To find out more about NIPRA and passenger rail in northeast Indiana, visit http://niprarail.org/ 

1st Source Bank Helps Make Home Repairs Possible



Before

 



After: Facundo Paniagua, his children,
and the contractor who fixed his roof

  















When Fort Wayne resident Facundo Paniagua discovered his roof was leaking, he didn’t know where to turn for help. It wasn’t just the roof that was causing problems – the soffits were rotting, the gutters were falling down, and in an attempt to winterize, the windows had been sealed shut. Paniagua was working at a local foundry, but knew he didn’t have enough money to fix all of his home’s issues. Then, he saw an article in El Mexicano about the City of Fort Wayne’s Neighborhood Impact Program.

“I was hesitant at first,” says Paniagua. “But I am very thankful I made the call. The staff was marvelous. I was treated very respectfully.”

Although Paniagua speaks some English, he is more comfortable speaking Spanish, so the City of Fort Wayne always had a translator available to provide information about the home repair program.  The staff explained that Paniagua and his wife Liliana qualified for the Neighborhood Impact Program, which operates with support from the Federal Home Loan Bank system.

The Neighborhood Impact allows homeowners at 80 percent of the area median income or less to tap into forgivable loans up to $10,000 for eligible home repairs. The City of Fort Wayne partners with 1^st Source Bank, a local member bank of the Federal Home Loan Bank system, by providing one-third matching HUD dollars up to about $3,300. The City also requires that the homeowner to contribute $500. As long as the homeowner keeps the home as their primary residence for five years, the loans are forgiven.

"1st Source Bank is proud to have provided Fort Wayne residents the opportunity to repair their homes,” said Lawrence Mayers, 1^st Source Bank senior vice president—Fort Wayne Region president.  “The partnership between the City of Fort Wayne, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis and 1st Source Bank has truly made a positive impact in the community."

“Facundo, his wife and two children love their home and neighborhood,” says Dawn Clopton, senior loan specialist. “The Neighborhood Impact Program improved the safety of their home so it will serve them well for years to come. The repairs were good for this family and good for the entire neighborhood.”

As part of the work done on the Paniagua’s home, located on Mount Vernon Park Drive, a new roof was installed, the soffits and gutters were repaired, and six new energy-efficient windows were installed.

“Just by looking at the before and after photos, you can see that the house is safer and more energy-efficient,” said Clopton.  “It is a remarkable transformation.”

The Neighborhood Impact Program is closed for 2012, but the City of Fort Wayne is looking to partner with the Federal Home Loan Bank and 1^st Source Bank again in 2013. Currently, the City of Fort Wayne is running its Winter Heating Program, which provides low-interest loans to replace or repair furnaces or water heaters. Local resident should keep an eye on the City’s website, www.cityoffortwayne.org/ohns or call 427-8585 to find out more about any of the City’s housing programs.

Home » Homelessness Memorial Walk December 21

Homelessness Memorial Walk December 21

The Fort Wayne Area Planning Council on Homelessness will once again hold a candlelight memorial walk on the longest night of the year, December 21, 2012 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Rescue Mission, 301 W. Superior St. The group will walk to the Headwaters Park West Pavilion for a short memorial service and will then walk back to the Rescue Mission for refreshments. Members of the public are invited to join the walk adn bring donations of wool socks, heavy-duty gloves and disposable razors.

 

Each year since 1990, on or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, the National Coalition for the Homeless has sponsored National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness. Hundreds of communities across the nation recognize the event each year.

 

In Allen County, the Memorial Walk will pay tribute to the lives of the homeless who died in the community in the last year. In many cases, this service will be the only commemoration of the life and passing of these persons.

 

The Fort Wayne Area Planning Council on Homelessness works to find innovative ways to address the issue of homelessness so local individuals can find permanent shelter and work to become self-sufficient. The Planning Council is comprised of dozens of agencies, as well as local government, and is working toward three main goals: reducing the number of homeless persons, shortening the time that people are homeless and making sure enough resources exist to prevent these people from becoming homeless again.

Energy Grant Boosts Efficiency of Local Buildings

Federal Energy Block Grant Boosts Efficiency of Local Buildings
by Mary Tyndall, Community Development PIO
October 2012

Thanks to a block grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, three Fort Wayne buildings are now safer and more energy efficient.

                In 2008, the City of Fort Wayne received a $2.47 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted in 2009 to help stimulate the economy. All the work paid for with those dollars is now complete.

                “This grant allowed the City of Fort Wayne to make critical upgrades to heating, cooling and lighting systems at three public buildings,” said Heather Presley-Cowen, director of the Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services, the department that administered the grant. “By using the grant dollars, the City saved local taxpayers the immediate cost of upgrading the systems and at the same time provided long-term cost-savings on utility bills.”

                The bulk of the work was completed at Citizens Square, 200 E. Berry St. Approximately $1.72 million was used to bring all the mechanical systems up to current code, to increase the capacity of the heating and cooling systems to accommodate a larger number of people working in the building, and to upgrade lighting to make it more energy efficient.               

The grant also helped pay for upgrades to Fire Station #1, 419 E. Main St. A little more than $500,000 was spent on upgrades to heating and cooling systems, energy efficient windows and energy efficient lighting.  The work also ensured that Fire Station #1 now meets new mechanical codes requiring additional outside air ventilation. The work helped save approximately $5,600 annually on utility bills for the fire station.

“An added benefit of the $2.47 million grant was the boost it gave to the local and national economy,” said Presley-Cowen. “All general contractors and design consultants who worked on the projects were based in Fort Wayne. Additionally, at least 95 percent of all the materials used in the upgrades were made in the United States.”

Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., was the last project to be funded. For approximately $214,000, the heating and cooling systems were upgraded and lighting was replaced to be more energy efficient.

“The grant had an interesting two-angle value to Science Central,” stated Martin S. Fisher, executive director of Science Central. “Obviously, the cost savings are important to us as a community-based educational and cultural attraction. Science Central is a non-profit. Saving a little money on utilities allows us to use a little more money on our hands-on exhibits or interactive programs. However, and maybe more importantly, it’s mission-based for us. It’s an educational opportunity! We teach our visitors about natural sciences such as environmental resources, and physical sciences, such as energy. Now, with these new green technologies, we have the opportunity to show our visitors applied sciences. In other words, we’re showing real-world connections!”

 The City’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services  has worked to ensure that all dollars were spent according to Federal guidelines, including making sure that all waste generated from the projects was either disposed of responsibly or was properly recycled.  The grant will be “closed” at the end of September.