Project Mastodon organization consents to purchase land, repay city for utility upgrades

Individuals behind Project Mastodon, along U.S. 30 have gotten what is believed to be the final public approval expected to begin construction. The city’s Redevelopment Commission voted to approve the Economic Development Agreement drawn up for the project.

The agreement gives the green light for the organization behind building the huge warehouse-type building to purchase the land encompassed by U.S. 30, Flaugh Road and Washington Center Road from the city fir $2.3 million. It likewise considers the organization responsible for repaying the city up to $3.5 million for infrastructure enhancements made in the area in the months ahead.

A delegate for Ambrose Property Group, Scott Sanders, updated the commission on the project Friday, giving however many subtleties as he could under a non-revelation agreement that has been set up. He guaranteed that the organization would hire in any event 1,000 individuals to work in the office at least $15 each hour.

As per Sanders, Fort Wayne was not the only market that was taken a gander at for this building.

“Fort Wayne is a community with a very strong labor force,” Sanders said. “It’s been renowned as being pro-development. This site and the work that had been put into it before we came along it was clear that this land was earmarked for development such as this and it seemed to be, at the early stages, a good fit and good option for this project.”

City Councilman Jason Arp was the only commissioner to vote “no” on the Economic Development Agreement Friday. Greg Leatherman, the city’s previous director of Community Development was among those having confidence in the project.

“I can at least say, in terms of the process, other than the reticence to reveal, is a seamless one stop, one party, one group to meet with, as opposed to multiple,” Leatherman told WANE 15. “They like the way it works for them and I think the city likes it that way as well. It’s simpler. It’s more reliable. There’s less uncertainty of what the dollar amounts are and who’s responsible for doing them. It’s a much more simplified process this way.”

Development is set to start in the summer. The building ought to be going before the finish of 2022.