Eateries are eating up vacant retail space at Midtowne Crossing. One restaurant has opened in Ft. Wayne`s troubled downtown retail and condominium project.
Five others have plans to open between August and the end of October.
Other business owners are looking at space for a florist shop, a law office and a travel agency in the development, a cluster of newly built and renovated historic buildings.
If all contemplated leases are signed, the development will have 11 businesses in place, leaving only two vacancies by year`s end.
It stood empty between its completion in 1990 and February, 1992, when the first tenant opened for business. Now the retail portion of the development has four businesses operating: a stationery store, a bank, a restaurant and a law office.
New businesses being planned include the Sidewalk Gourmet, whose owner says she hopes to open in mid-October; Subway, a sandwich chain that hopes to open in October though it has yet to sign a lease and is still looking for a franchisee; Red Dog Cafe, which has signed a lease and expects to open in mid- September; Chung King, which plans to open in early August; and the Downtown Cafe, which expects to open in late August.
Gary Trent, leasing and managing agent for Midtowne Crossing, said a travel agency and a law firm also are looking at sites in the complex.
