Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission Approves Sweetwater Expansion Project

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission today voted to pass an Economic Development Agreement with Sweetwater to support the company’s expansion in Fort Wayne.

Sweetwater continues to grow and this has created a need for additional distribution center capacity to keep pace with rising customer demand. Sweetwater’s existing Fort Wayne distribution center currently spans 524,363 square feet and features 260 rooftop solar panels. In addition to powering Sweetwater’s campus, the excess solar power generated is sent back to the grid, positively impacting the supply of energy for the local community. The campus expansion is projected to create 75 temporary construction jobs and will enable Sweetwater to add 300 new jobs.

The economic development agreement calls for the Commission to fund infrastructure improvements, primarily road improvements, in and around the Sweetwater campus using tax increment financing generated by the company’s expansion of its warehouse. The new warehouse will generate approximately $3.4 million in new property tax revenue over the first five years.

Public infrastructure improvements are expected to cost approximately $6.2 million and will be paid through the West Highway 30 TIF area, which includes the Sweetwater campus.

“Sweetwater has been a longstanding, valued corporate partner, providing thousands of well-paying jobs and supporting public services through tax dollars,” said Redevelopment Director Alec Johnson.  “We are excited to see Sweetwater’s continued growth and commitment to our community and are happy we can support them in this expansion.”

The warehouse expansion is planned for land that is currently outside of City of Fort Wayne limits, so Sweetwater will request a super voluntary annexation. The annexation will need to go before Fort Wayne Plan Commission and then City Council. At an upcoming meeting, the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission will vote on expanding the West Highway 30 TIF district to include the area where the new warehouse space will be built. Both the annexation and the TIF district expansion will require City Council approval.

“We looked at a variety of geographic options for increased distribution center capacity to best serve our nationwide customers, and we’re excited for the opportunity to reinvest once again right here in Fort Wayne,” explained Jeff Ostermann, Sweetwater’s Chief People & Culture Officer. “We are grateful for strong support from the Redevelopment Commission, the city, county, and our local community. These partnerships have been instrumental in our ability to grow and help serve more people, and we look forward to speaking with City Council as part of the next vote.”

An exact timeline for the proposed annexation and TIF district expansion is not determined but should take place within the next several months.