How Sturges Property Group Helped Build Fort Wayne
Sturges Property Group has been in business since 1975, and for the past 50 years, we have developed, built, and redeveloped many significant areas of Fort Wayne. Our company has touched every corner of Fort Wayne, from Southtown Centre to Dupont Business and Medical Park, New Haven to Huntertown.
These efforts to develop new shopping centers, office buildings, and residential areas have mainly been accomplished by our founder and CEO, Barry Sturges, who has collaborated with the City of Fort Wayne and private investors alike to make our city a better place to live and work.
Read on to learn how Barry Sturges, Sturges Property Group, and Sturges Development Group have changed the Fort Wayne landscape over the last 50 years.
Cross Creek
In the late 1980s, the vision for Cross Creek Boulevard began. Just north of I-69 and west of Lima Road, this 100-acre mixed-use development was an endeavor that would change the whole area.
Bringing Cross Creek to life was filled with challenges. Wetland mitigation, environmental considerations, and stormwater retention issues all had to be carefully navigated. But with our strategic planning and a little perseverance, we laid the groundwork for a thriving commercial area.
Meijer opened in June of 1994, and other retailers quickly followed suit with Builders Square (now Home Depot) opening in August 1994. The development expanded beyond retail, encompassing hotels, industrial flex spaces, and various businesses that contributed to the area’s economic growth. Over the years, Cross Creek evolved into a bustling center for commerce and industry. Sturges even helped to expand its footprint across Washington Center Road to create Cross Creek Commons in 1995.
Today, Sturges Property Group continues to manage the association and handle some of the leases for several industrial flex buildings in the area. We want to make sure Cross Creek stays vibrant and thriving for northwest Fort Wayne.
Southtown Centre
Back in 1969, the current Southtown Centre was already developed and known as Southtown Mall, located at Tillman Road and Lafayette Street. It was originally developed by Melvin Simon & Associates, and featured anchor stores like J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, and Wolf & Dessauer. In 1982, Southtown Mall expanded to add Sears and Service Merchandise.
Despite its early success, the mall began declining in popularity. Several anchor tenants closed in the late 90s, and revitalization efforts were unsuccessful.
At the time, news outlets and locals were continuously asking questions about the development of Southtown. One opinion piece praised the effort put into redeveloping the site:
“Well, Southtown Mall is just too big a problem, isn’t it? Nobody shops there anymore, and no matter what we do with it, it’s still in ‘the wrong part of town.’ The mayor, a dreamer if ever there was one, has appointed a ‘task force’ to ‘save it.’ What a monumental waste of time. Just let the thing go, and somebody will buy the space cheap and do something with it.
Oops. Somebody forgot to tell all that to local developers Don Steininger and Barry Sturges, or else they just weren’t listening…
A salute to you, Don Steininger and Barry Sturges. You embody the spirit of Fort Wayne. We hope your wild attempt succeeds, and you make a lot of money.”
- Editorials excerpt from Journal-Gazette, published July 3, 2000
The mall closed for good on February 1, 2003, and the 113-acre site was condemned by the city. After the abandoned, outdated mall's environmental hazards were addressed, demolition was able to begin on August 17, 2004.
Sturges Development Group persisted, and the joint venture with the City of Fort Wayne Department of Redevelopment attracted Menard’s and Walmart as new anchor tenants. The Southtown Mall site was renamed Southtown Centre, and Menards and Walmart opened for business in 2006.
Phase I also included a new Fort Wayne Police & Fire Training Academy, a new entrance off US 27, and a 7,700 SF retail building directly in front of Walmart, which was quickly leased by Sturges Property Group. New outlots were also developed for Wendy’s, Firestone, and AutoZone as the area flourished. This created demand for Phase II, and the remaining available parcels range from just under 3 acres to 12 acres.
Inverness Lakes
Sturges Griffin Trent Development Corporation started developing the Inverness Lakes residential neighborhood in the early 90s. In 1993, wooded homesites started at $38,000. Today, most homes are valued at over $400,000.
The ad below was placed in the News-Sentinel in 1994, attracting residents to the new development at Covington and Hadley Roads. It clearly states Sturges, Griffin, Trent & Co's commitment to community designs, attention to detail, and area builders that share the same motto—Make the customer proud.
This prestigious single-family development was completed in the early 2000s and covers over 100 homes in southwest Fort Wayne.
The name “Inverness” has continued to expand in that area with Inverness Centre, which Sturges also helped to develop, and Pointe Inverness Office Park.
Today, the subdivision has well-maintained landscapes and spacious homes on expansive lots. The area is highly sought after due its close proximity to the interstate, high-end retail shopping, medical facilities, and easy access to downtown Fort Wayne.
Dupont Business & Medical Park
The Dupont Business and Medical Park site technically dates to 1869, when the Sisters of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ established St. Joseph Hospital in downtown Fort Wayne. As the St. Joseph Hospital network continued to expand, the sisters closed and sold the downtown location in the 90s to relocate to the Dupont area. Sturges Development Group collaborated with the hospital to develop over 100 acres of land on the north side of town.
In January of 1995, St. Joseph Medical Center sold a 120-acre tract at the southeast corner of Auburn and Wallen Roads. Sturges, Griffin, Trent & Co facilitated this transaction, leading to the creation of a 210-lot single-family home subdivision and apartments. This residential development, Wallen Chase, complemented the adjacent 125-acre Dupont Medical Center, which enhanced the area’s appeal for both living and healthcare services.
Dupont Business and Medical Park’s centerpiece, Dupont Hospital, opened its doors in April of 2001 as a joint venture within the Lutheran Health Network.
Beyond healthcare, the park encompasses Class A office buildings, retail spaces, and various medical facilities. Sturges Development played a significant role in the development of the retail buildings just south of Dupont Road and the office buildings around East and West Circle Drive. Today, Sturges Property Group continues to lease and manage these commercial properties.
Keystone Distribution Park
Sturges Property Group has been involved with the development of Keystone Distribution Park almost since our founding!
In the late 70s, Sturges, Griffin, Trent & Co purchased the three buildings on Keystone Drive, and the other seven buildings hadn’t been built yet. As time passed, some partners in this investment departed from the deal, and Barry Sturges continued to develop and build several industrial buildings that now make up Keystone Industrial Park.
Today, buildings 1-10 are complete and fully occupied. The oldest buildings are closer to Ley Road and the newer buildings are further north on Keystone Drive. Buildings 11 and 12 are speculative buildings that are the final development of this industrial park.
Every company and department under the umbrella of Sturges Company Holdings works on this development. We own, lease, and manage all of the spaces at Sturges Property Group; Maintenance Management performs maintenance; Nexus Technology Partners manages the security camera systems; TI Source Project Management manages the buildouts of leased spaces and the new spec buildings.
Needless to say, Sturges Property Group has been involved in many development projects over the past 50 years! This list just grazes the surface of the depth of work we have completed.
This is all thanks to our founder and CEO, Barry Sturges, who has worked tirelessly over the last 50 years to make Fort Wayne a better place. He has collaborated with the City of Fort Wayne, private investors, and other local and national developers to complete projects and help improve our city.
Just think, you might live in a neighborhood that Sturges Property Group developed, or perhaps you frequent a store we have leased, managed, or developed!
