Fort Wayne: Economy

views updated May 21 2018

Fort Wayne: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Health care, manufacturing, and insurance have traditionally been the primary industries in Fort Wayne. The city's hospitals form a regional medical center that serves the tri-state area. Demand for health care services has continued to increase alongside the area's population, particularly that of older citizens. The city's two health care networksParkview Health System and Lutheran Health Networkare among the city's five top employers.

Dozens of manufacturing companies in the Fort Wayne area employ 100 people or more. Notable among these is General Motors's Fort Wayne Assembly plant, which has approximately 3,000 employees and is one of the top employers in the city. The 2.5 million square-foot plant, which built its first pickup truck in 1986, produced 247,000 pickups in 2004 and is home of the world's first full-size hybrid pickup truck. The home offices of several insurance companies are located in Fort Wayne, including Lincoln Financial Group, which opened for business in 1905in a small rented space above a telegraph office in Fort Wayneas Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. The company grew to become one of the largest insurance companies in the country.

Leading-edge communication service will soon arrive in the Fort Wayne area by Verizon, another of the city's largest employers. In January 2005, the company announced plans for a $65-75 million fiber optic network throughout most of Fort Wayne and nearby New Haven. The network, which will serve approximately 65,000 homes and businesses, will be the first of its kind in the state. Nearly 900 new jobsapproximately 600 contract workers, 200 full-time Verizon jobs, and 80 temporary positionsare expected as a result of this project.

Tourism in Fort Wayne has grown in recent years, following the expansion or the building of new museums, hotels, festival parks, and meeting facilities. In 2003, 5.3 million visitors came to the city, spending $370 million.

Items and goods produced: electric motors and supplies, trucks, tires, clothing, public speaking systems, televisions and electronic equipment, radios, valves, radio parts, copper wire, diamond wire dies, tools, trailers, aluminum pistons, gasoline pumps, liquid metering equipment, tanks and compressors, automotive axles, plastics, boats, feed, beer, paint, cranes and dredges, paper boxes, precision gears and counters, mobile homes

Incentive ProgramsNew and Existing Companies

Local programs

The Alliancefounded by the City of Fort Wayne, Allen County, and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commercesupports business location, expansion, and retention in Allen County. The Alliance is a one-stop-shop for business development, serving as a coordinator of information and resources. It assists companies in many areas, including the development of long-term labor supply strategies, tax abatement on personal and real property, tax incremental financing, employee relocation assistance, site or building options and selection, and community participation.

State programs

The state of Indiana extends various grants and loans to local governments and companies. The state offers a variety of incentives to new and expanding businesses, such as tax credits for investment and training, and through its Community Assistance, Energy Efficiency, Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Technology, Trade Show, and Training programs. The International Trade Division of the Indiana Department of Commerce encourages foreign investment locally.

Job training programs

The Indiana Department of Work-force Development offers an array of job training programs through its network of nearly 90 WorkOne centers, including one in Fort Wayne. Since 1997, nearly 58,000 workers have been trained through the Advance Indiana program. The Incumbent Worker Training Fund provides grants to employers seeking to improve the skill level of their employees. Career and technical education is also provided by local community and technical colleges.

Development Projects

Numerous major development projects are underway or recently completed in Fort Wayne. Among them is a plan, announced in January 2005, to create a fiber optic communications networkthe only one of its kind in the Great Lakes regionthat will bring leading edge communication service and nearly 900 new jobs to the Fort Wayne area. In 2001 county taxpayers approved bond financing of an $84 million library expansion project; a massive renovation of the main library is scheduled for completion in 2006. In January 2005 General Motors confirmed a plan to invest approximately $175 million to upgrade its Fort Wayne Assembly plant. A $42 million expansion of the Grand Wayne Convention Center is scheduled for completion in 2005. Area hospitals are also seeing major growth, with a $38 million expansion of Dupont Hospital, to be completed in 2007; a $25 million expansion of Lutheran Hospital, to be completed in 2006; and a $500 million, ten-year strategic plan to expand Parkview Hospital.

Economic Development Information: City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Economic Development/Redevelopment Commission, City-County Building, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (219)427-1127

Commercial Shipping

Fort Wayne International Airport is the national and international air transportation center for northeastern Indiana. CSX Railway and Norfolk Southern Railway connect the city with major markets throughout the United States; the carriers maintain local reciprocal switching agreements. An excellent highway system is used by nearly 40 common and contract motor carriers that maintain local terminals that provide overnight delivery to most of the Midwest, Mid-south, and Canada. Triple Crown Services Co., a door-to-door truckload carrier, is headquartered in Fort Wayne.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Service employment, which grew steadily in Fort Wayne during the early 2000s, is expected to continue its climb in upcoming years. Manufacturing, in contrast, has experienced some decline, but still remains an essential part of the Fort Wayne economy, comprising a large percentage of Fort Wayne employmentapproximately twice that of the national average.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Fort Wayne metropolitan area labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of non-agricultural labor force: 211,900

Number of workers employed in . . .

construction and mining: 11,600

manufacturing: 36,200

trade, transportation and utilities: 45,700

information: 3,500

financial activities: 13,100

professional and business services: 19,700

educational and health services: 32,100

leisure and hospitality: 19,700

other services: 8,300

government: 22,000

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $15.79

Unemployment rate: 6.2% (February 2005)

Largest employersNumber of employees
Parkview Health System3,648
Fort Wayne Community Schools3,445
General Motors Truck and Bus Group3,050
Lutheran Health Network2,889
Verizon Communications2,214
Lincoln Financial Group2,108
City of Fort Wayne1,671
Allen County Government1,585

Cost of Living

The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors for the Fort Wayne area.

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price: $220,384

2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 89.4 (U.S. average = 100.0)

State income tax rate: 3.4% of taxable income

State sales tax rate: 5.0% (food, prescription drugs, and items consumed or used in manufacturing are exempt)

Local income tax rate: 0.8% (county tax)

Local sales tax rate: 1.0% on food and beverages

Property tax rate: 0.8353 per $100 assessed valuation (2000)

Economic Information: City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Economic Development/Redevelopment Commission, City-County Building, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (219)427-1127

Fort Wayne: Recreation

views updated May 29 2018

Fort Wayne: Recreation

Sightseeing

American history, exotic animals, and beautiful botanical gardens highlight sightseeing in Fort Wayne. Eleven museums and historical sites are within walking distance in the downtown area. A historic old fort from the War of 1812 is preserved in a park downtown where the St. Mary's and St. Joseph rivers merge to become the Maumee. The Allen County Courthouse, listed on the National Historic Register, was constructed between 1897 and 1902. It combines Greek and Roman architectural themes and is capped with a rotunda, and its ornately designed interior features Italian marble, granite columns, bright tiles, and murals.

The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is home to more than 1,500 animals from around the world. The central area of the zoo features penguins, macaws, capuchin monkeys, sea lions, giant turtles, and the Indiana Family Farm, where visitors can pet farm animals. At the 22-acre African Veldt area, Jeep safari rides provide views of antelope, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and exotic birds. At the zoo's Australian Adventure, visitors can go on walkabouts or take canoe rides to view kangaroos, echidnas, lorikeets, parakeets, and dingoes. The Indonesian Rainforest area features a rare Komodo Dragon, orangutans, and Sumatran tigers. The zoo also contains a 20,000-gallon marine aquarium.

The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory preserves rare and exotic tropical plants from around the world in its three gardens under glass: the Floral Showcase has lush, colorful seasonal displays; in the Tropical Garden, orchids, palms, and other exotic plants surround a waterfall; and the Desert House has cacti and other desert plants from the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. Lakeside Rose Garden in northeast Fort Wayne, with 2,500 labeled plants, is recognized as one of the largest rose gardens in the country.

Science Central offers more than 30 hands-on exhibits to make learning fun. Visitors can dance on giant piano keys, create earthquakes, experience weightlessness over a moon-scape, bend rainbows, and ride a high-rail bicycle.

Arts and Culture

At the center of the performing arts in Fort Wayne is the restored Embassy Theater. Built in 1928, it is considered one of the country's most lavish architectural masterpieces. The Embassy is home to the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, which performs a nine-month season of symphony, pops, and chamber music concerts; the theater also hosts touring Broadway shows. The Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, regarded by many as one of the outstanding regional civic theaters in the country, coordinates more than 600 volunteers a year to produce Broadway-style shows. The Fort Wayne Ballet presents two major productions in addition to the annual Nutcracker ballet in December. The Fort Wayne Dance Collective, based at the Hall Community Arts Center, is northeast Indiana's only modern dance organization.

The Lincoln Museum, endowed by the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, is the world's largest private museum and research library for Lincolniana. Housed in a 30,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility, the museum has interactive, hands-on exhibits for all age groups. The museum's highlights include a collection of personal possessions of Lincoln and his family; original photographs and paintings; and a rare edition of The Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Lincoln in 1864 (one of eight in the world in public collections and the only one on permanent public display); and the inkwell Lincoln used to sign the proclamation.

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art is devoted to American and European artwork from the 19th century to the present. The museum houses more than 1,300 pieces in permanent collections of paintings, prints, and sculpture in three self-contained modern buildings. The History Center, operated by the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, is located in the Old City Hall, a local architectural landmark; the museum displays artifacts from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Highlights include law enforcement exhibits within the dank cells of the old city jail, a fully-equipped blacksmith shop, a detailed model of an American Indian village, ante-bellum women's dresses, and a dollhouse from 1886. At the Diehm Museum of Natural History, displays of mounted animals, birds, and fish from North America are featured in reproductions of natural habitats. The museum also has a collection of gems and minerals, as well as Far East artifacts. The Fort Wayne Firefighters Museum exhibits antique fire-fighting equipment and vehicles. In nearby Auburn the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum houses more than 100 examples of the world's grandest automobiles, in a 1930 Art Deco factory showroom.

Festivals and Holidays

June brings three ethnic events to Fort Wayne: the Indiana Highland Games honors Scottish heritage with athletic competitions, bagpipes and dancing, and food; Germanfest recognizes Fort Wayne's largest ethnic group with music, dance, sports, art, and German food; and the Greek Festival brings Greek food, beverages, music, dancing, jewelry, art, clothing, and literature. Three Rivers Festival, held in mid-July for nine days, features more than 200 events that include a Festival of the Arts, Children's Fest, senior's events, a parade, races, and fireworks displays. At the Auburn Cord Deusenberg festival on Labor Day weekend in nearby Auburn, the world's largest classic automobiles are auctioned in a festive atmosphere; the festival also includes a quilt show and an antique sale. The Johnny Appleseed Festival, held in September, brings the early 1800s to life by honoring John Chapman, who introduced apple trees to the Midwest; the festival features re-enactments of pioneer life, period entertainers, and crafts. Holiday festivals from late November through December celebrate the Christmas season with a Festival of Trees, Festival of Gingerbread, a Wonderland of Wreaths at the Botanical Conservatory, and downtown lighting displays.

Sports for the Spectator

The Fort Wayne Komets, a United Hockey League team, plays a home schedule at Memorial Coliseum. The Komets captured the UHL Colonial Cup in the 2002-2003 season. The Wizards, a Class A baseball team, plays at Memorial Stadium. The Fever, a semi-pro soccer team, plays a Mayto-July season at Hefner Field. The Fort Wayne Freedom, affiliated with United Indoor Football, is Fort Wayne's newest professional sports franchise; they played their first season in 2003. Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics is home to 16 Division I sports; the Mastodons host more than 100 athletic competitions each year.

Sports for the Participant

Fort Wayne's public recreational facilities include 68 tennis courts, 20 soccer fields, 32 softball diamonds, 11 regulation baseball diamonds, four swimming pools, and three golf courses. The city has 56 square miles of parks. The Rivergreenway Trail, a 15-mile-long trail along the banks of the city's three rivers, is ideal for bicycling, hiking, jogging, or rollerblading.

Shopping and Dining

Fort Wayne supports one of the Midwest's largest enclosed mallsGlenbrook Squarethat contains four anchor department stores and more than 160 specialty shops and stores. Fort Wayne's new Jefferson Pointe Shopping Center offers 50 shops and restaurants and an 18-screen movie theater in an open-air setting with Mediterranean-style architecture and tree-lined courtyards.

Fort Wayne has long billed itself as "The City of Restaurants," and the 600 eating and drinking establishments in and around the city bolster that claim. Don Hall's and Casa are two local families of restaurants, and are scattered around town. Some Fort Wayne restaurants offer such regional favorites as hearty farm-style meals and desserts.

Visitor Information: Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1021 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (800)767-7752; fax (260)424-3914; email [email protected]

Fort Wayne: History

views updated May 29 2018

Fort Wayne: History

Miami Territory Opened as Frontier

In ancient times, North American Indians hunted the mastodon and other wildlife in a hostile environment after the retreat of the glaciers in the area where Fort Wayne now stands. Later, the Moundbuilders constructed an advanced civilization before mysteriously dying out around the time of the European Middle Ages. The Miami Native Americans ruled the lower peninsula region, fighting against the Iroquois who were armed by English colonists. In time, the Miami reestablished themselves in the Wabash Valley and built their principal village at the Lakeside district in Fort Wayne, which they named Kekionga, meaning "blackberry patch." Kekionga evolved into Miamitown, a large settlement of Native Americans who sided with the British during the American Revolution.

Auguste Mottin de LaBalme, a French soldier fighting for the colonists, captured Miamitown in 1780, only to be defeated by Chief Little Turtle, one of the most feared and respected Miami leaders, in his first major victory. After the revolution, the British encouraged the Miami to attack the new nation, and war parties were sent eastward from Miamitown, prompting President Washington to order armies into the center of Miami territory. Little Turtle defeated the army of General Arthur St. Clair, and President Washington turned to General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, the Revolutionary War hero, to quell the rebellious tribes. General Wayne defeated the Miami at Fort Recovery in Ohio and at Fallen Timbers. Wayne marched on Miamitown and built the first American fort there. Wayne turned the fort over to Colonel John Hamtramck on October 21, 1794, and Hamtramck named it Fort Wayne the next day, which is considered the city's founding date.

Two key figures in Fort Wayne's early history were Chief Little Turtle and Williams Wells, who was benefited as a child from his Kentucky family and raised by Little Turtle's family. Wells and Little Turtle signed the Treaty of Greenville, opening up the frontier, and Wells was appointed Indian agent. The two men provided leadership and stability until their deaths in 1812. Potawatomi and Miami factions then invaded Fort Wayne, and General William Henry Harrison's army was sent in to regain control of the city. At the conclusion of the War of 1812 British influence on Native Americans came to a close.

County Seat Becomes Industrial Center

Fort Wayne entered a new stage in its history with the arrival of Judge Samuel Hanna in 1819. Hanna built a trading post and a grist mill, earning himself the name "builder of the city." He was instrumental in realizing the Wabash & Erie Canal and securing Fort Wayne's first railroad. Hanna participated in organizing Allen County in 1824 and helped designate Fort Wayne as the county seat. In 1829 Fort Wayne was incorporated as a town.

Fort Wayne's growth as a Midwestern industrial center was helped along by the number of inventions conceived and developed there. In 1871 Dr. Theodore Horton introduced a hand-operated washing machine and later manufactured the first electrically powered domestic washing machine. Joseph and Cornelius Hoagland and Thomas Biddle developed a baking powder formula that proved successful. The Foster Shirtwaist Factory, capitalizing on the popularity of a boy's size-fourteen shirt among women, made the famous Gibson Girl shirtwaist. Other prominent inventions originating in Fort Wayne were the self-measuring pump designed by Silvanus Freelove Bowser and the "arc light" developed by James Jenney.

Electronics and Lincolniana

The first nighttime professional baseball game took place in Fort Wayne in 1883 under Jenney Arc Lights. George Jacobs' discovery of an economical means of coating electrical wiring, which gave rise to the magnet wire industry, made possible modern electrical-powered products such as radios, telephones, automobiles, computers, and appliances. Homer Capehart's company of engineers invented the jukebox, which was sold to the Wurlitzer Company. Philo T. Farnsworth, a pioneer in the invention of television, bought the Capehart Company in 1938, and in time began the mass production of televisions.

Fort Wayne gained a reputation as a city receptive to innovative companies. The Magnavox Company relocated in Fort Wayne in 1930, and became a world leader in acoustical engineering. During the 1920s the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company emerged as an innovative insurance company. The company established and endowed the Lincoln Library and Museum, which houses the largest collection of materials on one man other than a biblical personage.

In subsequent decades the city's economy continued to diversify. Fort Wayne has seen major growth in the service sector, especially in the health care field. Through its hospitals, Fort Wayne has become a medical center for the tri-state area. Tourism has grown, as visitors are drawn to the city's attractions, historical sites, festivals, and renowned dining options. Fort Wayne prides itself as a community with big city amenities and small town charm.

Historical Information: Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 302 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; Indiana Jewish Historical Society, 2743 Wilkie Drive, No. 1, Fort Wayne, IN 46804; telephone (260)459-6862

Fort Wayne: Education and Research

views updated May 29 2018

Fort Wayne: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Fort Wayne Community Schools is the second-largest district in the state of Indiana. The superintendent is selected by a seven-member, nonpartisan board of education.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Fort Wayne Community Schools as of the 20042005 school year.

Total enrollment: nearly 32,000

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 34

middle schools: 11

senior high schools: 6

other: 2

Student/teacher ratio: 17.5:1 (2002-2003)

Teacher salaries

average: $46,189

Funding per pupil: $8,892 (2002-2003)

Additionally, Fort Wayne's 39 parochial and private schools offer elementary, high school, and special education opportunities.

Public Schools Information: Fort Wayne Community Schools, 1200 S. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN; telephone (260)467-1000

Colleges and Universities

Enrolling nearly 12,000 students, Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne (IPFW) offers a complete range of undergraduate and graduate programs. The largest university in northeast Indiana, IPFW is a joint campus of two Big Ten schools, and grants both Indiana University and Purdue University degrees. The main campus of Purdue is in West Lafayette, IN, and that of Indiana University is in Bloomington. Long a commuter college, IPFW opened its first student housing in 2004.

Church-affiliated colleges include the University of Saint Francis, a Catholic liberal arts university; Taylor University-Fort Wayne, an interdenominational liberal arts college with campuses in Fort Wayne and Upland, IN; and Concordia Theological Seminary, dedicated to the preparation of Lutheran pastors. Fort Wayne is also home to Indiana Tech, a four-year college providing degree programs in business, engineering, computer science, and human services; International Business College, offering business, health care, and technology programs; and ITT Technical Institute, offering technology, drafting and design, and business programs. Post-secondary education and technical training are provided by two-year Ivy Tech State College. Other two-year colleges include Michiana College and Indiana Business College-Fort Wayne.

Libraries and Research Centers

The main facility of the Allen County Public Library houses extensive holdingsabout 2.3 million books in addition to 10,100 periodical titles, records, tapes, films, slides, art reproductions, and compact discsand special collections in such fields as local history, genealogy, heraldry, fine arts, business and technology, and federal and state documents. Its Genealogy Research Department, with more than 300,000 printed volumes and 314,000 items of microfilm and microfiche, is considered the most extensive public genealogy research library in the country. The library operates 13 branches. The main library is the 11th busiest library in the country, as measured by circulation. In 2001 county taxpayers approved bond financing of an $84 million library expansion project. Within four years two new branches opened and another was renovated. A massive renovation of the main library is scheduled for completion in 2006.

Area colleges maintain campus libraries. Specialized libraries include the Lincoln Museum Library, specializing in Lincolniana, as well as libraries affiliated with hospitals, corporations, and government agencies. The Community Research Institute is among the nine Centers of Excellence supported by Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Public Library Information: Allen County Public Library, PO Box 2270, 200 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270; telephone (260)421-1200

Fort Wayne: Communications

views updated May 09 2018

Fort Wayne: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

The principal daily newspapers in Fort Wayne are the Journal-Gazette, published mornings and Sundays, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning News-Sentinel, published Monday through Saturday evenings. An African American community newspaper, Frost Illustrated, and the Macedonian Tribune, are also published in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne Magazine is a bi-monthly publication focusing on the city. Special-interest magazines and journals published in Fort Wayne include Business People Magazine; CLIO: A Journal of Literature, History, and the Philosophy of History; Concordia Theological Quarterly; The Family Digest; Hunter & Sport Horse; and Today's Catholic.

Television and Radio

Six television stations, including four network affiliates, a PBS station, and an independent station, broadcast from Fort Wayne; cable service is available through six cable companies. Diverse radio programming, covering easy listening, top 40, rock, and country and western music as well as religious features and news and information, is provided by 17 stations (five AM and 12 FM) in the city.

Media Information: Fort Wayne Newspapers, 600 W. Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (800)324-0505

Fort Wayne Online

Allen County Public Library home page. Available www.acpl.lib.in.us

City of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Available www.cityoffortwayne.org

Fort Wayne Convention and Visitors Bureau. Available www.fwcvb.org or www.visitfortwayne.com

Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. Available www.fwchamber.org

The Journal-Gazette. Available www.journalgazette.com

The News-Sentinel. Available www.news-sentinel.com

Selected Bibliography

Kavanaugh, Karen B. A Genealogist's Guide to the Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana. (Fort Wayne, IN: The Author, 1981)

Martone, Michael. Fort Wayne is Seventh on Hitler's List (Indiana University Press, 1993)

Fort Wayne: Population Profile

views updated May 17 2018

Fort Wayne: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 354,000

1990: 456,281

2000: 502,141

Percent change, 19902000: 10.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 93rd

U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported

U.S. rank in 2000: 81st

City Residents

1980: 172,196

1990: 195,680

2000: 205,727

2003 estimate: 219,495

Percent change, 19902000: 1.3%

U.S. rank in 1980: 80th

U.S. rank in 1990: 99th

U.S. rank in 2000: 97th

Density: 2,605.7 people per square mile

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 155,231

Black or African American: 35,752

American Indian and Alaska Native: 806

Asian: 3,205

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 86

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 11,884

Other: 5,993

Percent of residents born in state: 66.5% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 16,084

Population 5 to 9 years old: 15,888

Population 10 to 14 years old: 14,900

Population 15 to 19 years old: 14,903

Population 20 to 24 years old: 15,864

Population 25 to 34 years old: 31,355

Population 35 to 44 years old: 30,672

Population 45 to 54 years old: 25,462

Population 55 to 59 years old: 8,423

Population 60 to 64 years old: 6,561

Population 65 to 74 years old: 12,418

Population 75 to 84 years old: 9,415

Population 85 years and older: 3,782

Median age: 32.8 years

Births (2002) Total number: 3,826

Deaths (2002) Total number: 2,207 (of which, in Allen County, 34 were infants under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $18,517

Median household income: $36,518

Total households: 83,416

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 7,943

$10,000 to $14,999: 5,613

$15,000 to $24,999: 13,334

$25,000 to $34,999: 12,774

$35,000 to $49,999: 16,131

$50,000 to $74,999: 16,283

$75,000 to $99,999: 6,285

$100,000 to $149,999: 3,699

$150,000 to $199,999: 610

$200,000 or more: 744

Percent of families below poverty level: 9.6% (35.9% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,152

Fort Wayne

views updated May 21 2018

Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne: Introduction
Fort Wayne: Geography and Climate
Fort Wayne: History
Fort Wayne: Population Profile
Fort Wayne: Municipal Government
Fort Wayne: Economy
Fort Wayne: Education and Research
Fort Wayne: Health Care
Fort Wayne: Recreation
Fort Wayne: Convention Facilities
Fort Wayne: Transportation
Fort Wayne: Communications

The City in Brief

Founded: 1794 (incorporated, 1829)

Head Official: Mayor Graham Richard (D) (since 2000)

City Population

1980: 172,196

1990: 195,680

2000: 205,727

2003 estimate: 219,495

Percent change, 19902000: 1.3%

U.S. rank in 1980: 80th

U.S. rank in 1990: 99th

U.S. rank in 2000: 97th

Metropolitan Area Population

1980: 354,000

1990: 456,281

2000: 502,141

Percent change, 19902000: 10.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 93rd

U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported

U.S. rank in 2000: 81st

Area: 78.95 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 790 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 49.7° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 34.40 inches

Major Economic Sectors: Trade, manufacturing, services

Unemployment Rate: 6.2% (February 2005)

Per Capita Income: $18,517 (1999)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,152

Major Colleges and Universities: Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne; Ivy Tech; Indiana Institute of Technology

Daily Newspaper: The Journal-Gazette; The News-Sentinel

Fort Wayne: Health Care

views updated May 14 2018

Fort Wayne: Health Care

As the largest single industry in Fort Wayne, the health care community serves a three-state region. Approximately half of the admissions to Allen County hospitals are from outside the county. Fort Wayne has six hospitals: Parkview Hospital, 573 beds; Lutheran Hospital, 343 beds; St. Joseph Hospital, 191 beds; Dupont Hospital, 86 beds; Rehabilitation Hospital Fort Wayne, 60 beds; and Parkview North Hospital, 38 beds. The city's two health care networksParkview Health System and Lutheran Health Networkare among the city's five top employers. Parkview Hospital, Parkview Health System's flagship hospital, is the fourth-largest hospital in the state and the largest outside Indianapolis. A Level II Trauma Center, Parkview is the only trauma center to be verified by the American College of Surgeons in northern Indiana. The trauma center is comprised of 18 components, including a full-service emergency department, a surgical-trauma intensive care unit, a surgical care center, and a flight program with two medical helicopters. The hospital also houses a cardiac-medical intensive care unit; a continuing care skilled nursing facility; a new life center and neonatal intensive care unit; a children's center; cancer, heart, stroke, and rehabilitation centers; and a sleep disorders lab.

Lutheran Hospital, the flagship hospital of Lutheran Health Network, is the region's only heart transplant facility. Other key services of the hospital include emergency services, inpatient and outpatient surgery, cardiac services, obstetrics, pediatrics, a diabetes treatment center, orthopedics, occupational medicine, and a sleep lab.

Fort Wayne: Convention Facilities

views updated May 23 2018

Fort Wayne: Convention Facilities

Fort Wayne offers meeting planners high-quality site choices. A major facility is the Grand Wayne Center, which is undergoing a $39 million renovation and expansion that is scheduled for completion in mid-2005. This two-year construction project has more than doubled the total size of the center, doubled the amount of ballrooms, doubled the size of the main hall, and tripled the number of meeting rooms. The new 225,000 square-foot facility features a 48,480 square-foot Convention Hall and a 9,955 square-foot Anthony Wayne Ballroom to accommodate conventions, expos, trade shows, banquets, performances, and large corporate meetings and events; and a 6,000 square-foot Calhoun Ballroom, a 1,680 square foot Gallery, and meeting room space totaling 7,684 square feet, for meetings, banquets, luncheons, and seminars.

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Center, a city landmark, provides versatile facilities for trade shows, concerts, sporting events, stage shows, ice shows, the circus, meetings, and conventions. The facility is a memorial to the armed forces who died in World Wars I and II, and the Korean War. The arena, which recently raised its roof, increasing its seating capacity from 10,000 to 12,500, is ideal for spectator events; the Expo Center provides 108,000 square feet of display area, and has meeting rooms accommodating 250 individuals, plus the Appleseed Roomdesigned to hold banquets, receptions, and meetingsaccommodating up to 540. With more than 4,500 hotel rooms, Fort Wayne has accommodations to suit both large and small group needs.

Convention Information: Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1021 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802; telephone (800)767-7752; fax (260)424-3914; email [email protected]

Fort Wayne: Transportation

views updated May 29 2018

Fort Wayne: Transportation

Approaching the City

Fort Wayne International Airport is the destination for most air traffic into Fort Wayne. It is one of only a handful of airports in the Midwest with a 12,000-foot runway. Five commercial carriers provide direct flights from major cities throughout the United States; connecting flights for international travel are also available. One of the top three revenue sources for the city of Fort Wayne, the Fort Wayne International Airport accommodates more than one million passengers annually. Smith Field, located north of the city, is a secondary airport for private air traffic.

Highway travel into Fort Wayne is via Interstate 69, which runs north from Indianapolis into Michigan, and Interstate 469, which encircles the city. U.S. Highways 30, 33, 27, and 24 converge in Allen County. Interstate 80, which runs east/west, is located 45 miles north of Fort Wayne via Interstate 69.

Traveling in the City

The Fort Wayne Citilink provides intracity bus service to downtown, urban shopping centers, and area employment locations.