So Now, What Becomes of Ash Brokerage? (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne: sales, real estate market)

[Always Needmore]

With Ash Brokerage selling to Integrity out of Dallas Tx....What are the plans for the company (and the building it occupies) going forward?

If I recall properly, the local tax payers made significant contributions towards making Skyline Plaza a reality, including the implementation of a significant T.I.F. (tax increment finance district) that will hang around the necks of surrounding property owners, for years to come.

So, does Ash remain in Fort Wayne long enough to make the local commitment(s) pay off? Or do they skedaddle to Texas leaving behind a vacant building to cannibalize the local commercial real estate market?

If they vacate, I'm sure the surrounding businesses will be just thrilled shouldering the incrementally higher property taxes they are paying in exchange for the once promised patronage that was supposed to result from the presence Ash's workforce.

And who ultimately is on the hook for the cost of the building?

"Catalytic and Transformative" indeed, Mr. Henry.

[ColdAilment]

That's a massive building. How much of the building did Ash Brokerage occupy? I noticed Barnes and Thornburg has a major presence in that building also.

[Always Needmore]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

That's a massive building. How much of the building did Ash Brokerage occupy? I noticed Barnes and Thornburg has a major presence in that building also.

Can you quantify "major"? So far as I knew there were only token occupancies in addition to Ash inside that building. (restaurant, bank, fitness/bike shop, etc) Admittedly, I have not been inside in a couple years.


I just remember the constant drumming by the Henry administration about how public participation ($$$) was vital to the project's success, and how that would pay dividends to the community. So it seems fairly evident who will get left holding the bag if the bird flies the coop. A lot of taxpayer commitment was leveraged upon success of the project.

[Toxic Toast]

The whole premise of this thread is based on the premise that company sold=office is vacated which is not true.

We don't know that Ash Brokerage will vacate the building in downtown Fort Wayne. When SalesForce acquired ExactTarget in Indianapolis, SalesForce maintained a presence in Indianapolis. When CenterPoint Energy acquired Vectren in Evansville, Vectren maintained a presence in Evansville. In both Indianapolis and Evansville, these were large companies occupying prominent spaces in each city's downtown that continued to occupy prominent spaces in each downtown.

We simply don't know what, if anything, will change about Ash Brokerage/Integrity Marketing.

Fort Wayne is a growing city. I don't think the building will just suddenly rot if Ash does vacate.

[Always Needmore]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

The whole premise of this thread is based on the premise that company sold=office is vacated which is not true.


Fort Wayne is a growing city. I don't think the building will just suddenly rot if Ash does vacate.

You'll notice that I posed it in the form of a question in the very first post.


It's not as though the concept of companies merging or selling and then withdrawing their presence from Ft Wayne is unprecedented. Unfortunately common, I'm afraid.

Considering the hard sell we were hit over the head with to support a public/private partnership in order to bring this project to fruition, I believe the "partners" are in fact entitled to a little illumination. Frankly the silence concerns me most of all.

When this project was trying to find it's wings, I was concerned then over the way the heavy lifting in this partnership was focused upon the public...and a lot (bond retirement, etc) hinged upon the success of the overall business plan. So in a sad way, it's feeling a little bit like the other shoe might be getting ready to fall.


SO, I merely prefer to be well-informed as opposed to surprised later.

[Always Needmore]

And, just being frank, I'm a little sour over the 21st century Public/Private partnership business model where the public gets pumped up with a flowery sales spiel...makes their commitment....and then gets shorted by the private end....happens FAR too often...almost an industry all in itself.


So. let Tim Ash come forward and say "YOU FOOL!! Of course we intend to stay!!...and I'd be JUST FINE with that