It was a diamond anniversary of sorts last year for one
of Fort Wayne's oldest and best-known landmarks.
The old International Harvester complex, now known as International
Park, turned 75 in 1998.
Since Harvester announced its pullout in 1982, the industrial
park on Fort Wayne’s southeast side has become a thriving
business location with nearly 90 percent of the 1 million
square feet leased out to firms from roofers to paint chip
makers to storage companies.
Current owners, Wayne Coliseum Ltd. out of Larchmont, N.Y.,
say it's the perfect place to start and expand a business.
And city officials applaud the efforts of the park.
International Park has been designated by the Fort Wayne
City Council as an economic revitalization area, which means
companies there are eligible for a tax abatement, or phase
in, on the purchase of new machinery.
"We want businesses to grow," said Trisha Gensic,
senior economic development specialist for the city.
A modern history
On Sept. 27, 1982, a Monday, International Harvester announced
it was pulling out its truck assembly operation and moving
it to Springfield, Ohio.
Reeling from the shock, many people believed Fort Wayne,
Harvester employees and the old complex had a long, sad
road ahead.
International Park Partnership and all American Developers
bought the buildings from Navistar International Corp. in
1983 and then sold them in 1985 to current owners Wayne
Coliseum Ltd., part of The Huntington Group in Larchmont,
New York
They renamed it International Park.
Like the town around it, the park learned to make do over
the years without the IH backbone.
During its peak, International Harvester employed 10,600
people at the park. Today, about 1,200 employees at about
70 businesses work there.
“The bulk of tenants when we bought it were in warehousing,''
said Larry Pregon of Wayne Coliseum. Over time we've tried
to switch our focus to a mix of warehousing, manufacturing
and assembly,'' Pregon said.
Pregon could not say what the market value of the property
is, but the current owners have invested millions over the
years to add new loading docks, new windows, new roofs and
other renovations.
''This is a textbook example of how to do such a reinvestment
in a city market," Pregon said.
An industrial park family
Inside the cavernous walls, there are success stories -
15 years after most people thought the industrial park and
Fort Wayne had gone bust.
It was less than a decade ago when two partners started
Elite Enterprises with about 3,000 square feet of space.
Elite, which paints heavy parts for the auto, truck and
industrial industries, now has 80 employees and 170,000
square feet of space.
Partner Michael Kreps is grateful for the park's management.
''If not for them, I wouldn't be here, and 80 people wouldn't
have a job in Fort Wayne. I would have moved the business
someplace else," he said.
''Every Jeep Wrangler hardtop throughout the world was
painted here," .Kreps said.
Kreps remembers the days when finances, and rental options,
were tight.
''Today we don't have to worry about that." he said.
Steve Scherf, one of five owners of Chromasource Inc.,
has also tasted success at International Park.
Celebrating its third birthday this month, Chromasource
manufactures color cards and color samples for the paint
industry nationwide.
"One of the advantages of being out here is that it's
relatively inexpensive to lease, and it gives any company
the opportunity to grow." Scherf said.
Neighbors move out from time to time, freeing up space
for Chromasource to move beyond own parameters.
''A lot of companies have prospered out here." he
said.
Monday, January 25, 1999
