International Park is one of Fort Wayne's
oldest and best-known landmarks. The old International Harvester
complex is now over 80 years old and thriving. But the future
wasn’t always as bright as it is today. Like many Rust
Belt cities in the early 1980s, Fort Wayne, Indiana was overly
dependent on manufacturing firms which were rapidly severing
old ties and moving south and west. Then, in 1982, International
Harvester, the largest employer in the area, announced that
it was closing its truck assembly operation and moving it to
Springfield, Ohio. Thousands in the area were suddenly left
without jobs. To most observers things looked bleak for Fort
Wayne and the huge plant complex.
Some however saw the situation as an opportunity.
In 1985, current owners Wayne Coliseum Ltd., part of the Huntington
Group now located in Las Vegas, Nevada, bought the complex
and renamed it International Park. During its peak, International
Harvester employed 10,600 people at the 138 acre site. Today,
about 50 businesses with over 1000 employees are located here
utilizing an energetic mix of warehousing, manufacturing,
and office space. Nearly 70 percent of the 1.4 million square
feet is leased out to companies who make everything from auto
parts to window fittings. It's the perfect place to start
and expand a business. International Park has even been designated
by the Fort Wayne City Council as an economic revitalization
area, which means companies who locate here are automatically
eligible for benefits like tax abatements.
Over the years, millions of dollars have
been invested to modernize International Park facilities while
preserving its historical roots. New loading docks have been
added and many buildings have had new roofs installed and
their exteriors renovated. Roads have been repaved and the
grounds freshly landscaped. In addition, larger buildings
have been partitioned to create units of varying sizes to
appeal to a wide assortment of needs.
Even the old International Harvester tower,
a Fort Wayne landmark for three-quarters of a century, has
undergone its own revitalization. This proud symbol of our
great past and its limitless future still stands as a beacon
for all to see.
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