How Does PFW’s New Student Housing Fit Into Purdue’s Master Plan and Student’s Needs?

How Does PFW’s New Student Housing Fit Into Purdue’s Master Plan and Student’s Needs?

On October 29th, Purdue Fort Wayne broke ground on their newest student housing option - a 600-bed, 213,000-square-foot apartment building by Ginsberg Hall on the North Campus. The $90 to $100 million project is being constructed in partnership with Gilbane Development Company.  Roughly half the beds will be contracted to students through the university, with the other beds being leased to students directly through Gilbane.  It’s a change from the existing housing options PFW offers.The university currently offers students two options – on-campus housing contracted through the school, and leases with nearby apartment complexes that have arrangements with the school.  In 2024, PFW entered into a public-private partnership with Gilbane to develop and manage the housing...

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GOP Secures Major Wins Across Indiana: US Senate, Governor’s Seat, and Allen County City Council

GOP Secures Major Wins Across Indiana: US Senate, Governor’s Seat, and Allen County City Council

https://youtu.be/SiZ7v3-MaXU?feature=shared The makeup of the Allen County Council will shift again in January, as local Republican candidates swept the three at large seats on the county’s fiscal body. The sweep came amid a very successful election day for Republicans nationwide, marked by Former President Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Congressman Jim Banks also handily defeated Democrat Valerie McCray for one of Indiana’s two U.S. Senate seats, while Senator Jim Braun beat Jennifer McCormick, Indiana’s last state superintendent of public instruction, for the governor’s office.  In remarks delivered to the assembled crowd Tuesday at the Grand Wayne Center in downtown Fort Wayne, Banks thanked his supporters and promised to fight for the state. Even...

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National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17, 2024

National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17, 2024

To promote voting and civic engagement, volunteers representing eight (8) local non-partisan organizations: League of Women Voters of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne (IN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Alive Community Outreach - Peacemakers, Northeast Indiana National Organization for Women, Gen Action Club of Purdue Fort Wayne, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, A. Philip Randolph Institute, and Count US IN will provide voter registration and education opportunities in conjunction with National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17th. The collaborative holiday, which includes thousands of community partners and over 100 major national organizations and corpo­rations, is housed at and managed by Nonprofit VOTE which itself provides nonpartisan resources to help...

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Land Banks: How They Work, and Why Fort Wayne Needs One

Land Banks: How They Work, and Why Fort Wayne Needs One

“We need land banks everywhere.” Nate Howard, the Executive Director of Muncie Land Bank, has seen what positive changes can come from rehabilitating abandoned and vacant properties in his area. An empowered land bank can reduce blight and save taxpayers money, plus contribute to the supply of affordable housing. He noted that in Ohio, most counties have their own land banks. Why not have more in Indiana? Within the state, the closest land banks to Fort Wayne are in Muncie and Indianapolis. “Where land banks really thrive, they are supported financially by the city, and the inventory they use comes through the county government. Where land bank legislation is more developed, a lot of those things are explicit in state law.” Land banks acquire property that has become tax-delinquent, and...

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Mobile Home Living in Fort Wayne: Get Grounded on the Rules, Rights, and Regulations

Mobile Home Living in Fort Wayne: Get Grounded on the Rules, Rights, and Regulations

Roiann Smolinski of Fort Wayne lived in a mobile home with her family about 40 years ago, and remembers it well.  “We had a small court, maybe only 30 homes, in a convenient location close to work. The court got plowed out early from snow. We had three bedrooms and two baths, and a nice sized kitchen. It served our purpose for living, until we bought a house six years later. My dad lived in the same court, so that was a bonus.” Smolinski also noted a few drawbacks, such as no access to covered or reserved parking spaces. Smolinski paid $135 for the home plus $190 for lot rent per month, which included landscaping and snow plowing but not utilities.  Despite the arctic chills that visit Fort Wayne each winter, their mobile home stayed cozy. “We didn't have any trouble with...

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Home Free: How the Forty Percent Live

Home Free: How the Forty Percent Live

Fort Wayne homeowner Kate was surprised to discover how she felt when she made the last mortgage payment on her home. “I thought the day I paid off the house would be the best day ever, but it is really the next month, when you don’t have to make that payment and you suddenly realize how much money you have to spend on something else.”  At first she devoted her extra money to fixing up her house, but once those tasks were done, her options expanded. “Now we have money to go on vacations and relax and look toward retirement with less stress. My husband says that this house is our guarantee that we won’t have to eat cat food,” she joked. Their home has nearly tripled in value since they purchased it in 1996. She recommended making a full commitment to the home and its location to make...

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Republican Q&A Candidate Forum 4.14.24

Did you miss your chance to attend the Republican Candidate Forum over the weekend? You can watch candidates presenting their platforms, discussing key issues, and answering questions from the audience at the link below. IN03 Congressional Candidates from left to right: Tim Smith (R), Grant Bucher (R), Wendy W. Davis (R), Jon Kenworthy (R), Marlin A. Stutzman (R), Michael Felker (R), and Eric Whalen (R). Video presentation candidate: Andy Zay (R). https://youtu.be/UqNkWCw4JSU?feature=shared For more information visit fwmediacollaborative.com.

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Democratic Q&A Candidate Forum 4.06.24

https://youtu.be/Y9Sdoz6sqAI IN03 Congressional Candidates Phil Goss & Kiley Adolf participate in Democratic Q&A Candidate Forum presented by the Fort Wayne Media Collaborative and Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics at the Allen County Public Library Main Branch on April 6th, 2024.

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Regional Shelter Offers Opportunity for Reclaimed Lives

Regional Shelter Offers Opportunity for Reclaimed Lives

Auburn has become a city on the rise. In its west-side commercial district, heavy construction equipment and cranes have been a common sight, as older buildings give way to new ones springing up all over. One project, though, has taken shape more quietly. Tucked behind the ongoing new construction of a chain deli, a relic of the 1960s has been given new life — and gives new hope — to families and individuals facing homelessness. Fortify Life, a fledgling nonprofit, has renovated 13 rooms in a modest former Days Inn motel, creating emergency and transitional housing in a community that has shown great need for it. Jeremiah Otis, Fortify Life’s energetic director of development, said the renaissance of the motel is part of a new approach to addressing poverty in northeast Indiana. The...

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The Collaborative Corner | Christi & Amanda Hille

The Collaborative Corner | Christi & Amanda Hille

https://youtu.be/x6l437kZhq8 In this episode, we're diving into the vibrant film culture of Fort Wayne with Christy and Amanda Hilly from Cinema Center. As board president and secretary, they’re also festival chairs for the Hobnobben Film Festival happening October...

National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17, 2024

National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17, 2024

To promote voting and civic engagement, volunteers representing eight (8) local non-partisan organizations: League of Women Voters of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne (IN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Alive Community Outreach - Peacemakers, Northeast Indiana...