Discover Fort Wayne's Dynamic Riverfront Destination

Fort Wayne's St. Mary's Riverfront Project: Creating a Dynamic New Destination

The City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, boasts a rich history of Native American and European settlers who strategically settled and fortified camps at the confluence of three rivers. Today, these rivers have evolved into the modern city. In recent years, civic leaders have recognized the value of creating a series of riverfront attractions that strengthen downtown as a regional destination, together with existing cultural and entertainment venues.

Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), a landscape architectural design firm, was selected to provide design and implementation for Phase 1 of the St. Mary's riverfront improvements. Managed by the City's Planning Department, LJC was tasked with reimagining a new waterfront amenity, Promenade Park. Through a series of design charrettes and presentations, the team fashioned goals into a designed solution that sought to meet the expectations of the city.

Promenade Park: A New Waterfront Amenity

The activities at Promenade Park focus on increased recreational use of the river, dining and entertainment venues, programmed events, and ecological restoration. The riverfront design provides the community connection to the rivers and opportunities to experience the ebbs, flow, and sound of nature. This new park creates an equitable landscape for people of all ages, races, physical abilities, and economic situations.

The park is home to an urban plaza, flexible green, beer garden, treetop walk, playground, amphitheater, and waterfront promenade – all of which create a dynamic new destination linked to the Central Business District, Headwaters Park, surrounding venues, neighborhoods, and the extensive River Greenway Trails. Promenade Park opened to rave reviews from the community in August of 2019.

Awards and Recognition

Riverfront Fort Wayne Promenade Park has received a number of awards/recognition since opening in 2019, including being a finalist for the ULI Americas Awards for Excellence in 2021. The park also received an Honorable Mention in the Cities Category for Fast Company's 2020 Innovation by Design. Additionally, the park received merit awards from the ASLA St. Louis Chapter, Illinois Chapter, and Central States Chapter, and an award of excellence from the ASLA Indiana Chapter in 2019. The ASLA St. Louis Chapter also awarded a merit award for the park's master plan in 2016.

The Riverfront Fort Wayne Promenade Park is a prime example of how landscape architecture can revitalize a community and create a dynamic new destination. The park offers an equitable landscape for everyone to enjoy and provides a connection to nature that is often lost in urban environments. As the park continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly become a regional destination for visitors and a beloved gathering place for the community.

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