University of Saint Francis renovation plans for former Chamber of Commerce building and Scottish Rite Auditorium named as Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project
The University of Saint Francis Downtown Campus project, which began renovations on May 6, has been named an Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project by the Indiana Bicentennial Commission as part of the state’s 200th birthday celebration.

The University of Saint Francis Downtown Campus project is converting the former Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce building and the west tower of the USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center into a new learning space for USF students. The campus will house the Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership, the Music Technology program and the Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts program. University officials are looking forward to the opportunity to work and interact closely with the downtown business and community leaders, and this designation is another reason the project is highly anticipated.

“This project is part of the university’s commitment to help grow downtown Fort Wayne and the region in general,” said USF President Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF. “With 125 years of educating in Indiana, the University of Saint Francis understands the importance of honoring this state’s past by building for the future.”

As part of the university’s commitment to honoring the history of these buildings, they are asking the community to help them locate photos of past events in the Chamber of Commerce and Shrine buildings. These photos will be used to decorate the newly renovated spaces.

The USF Downtown Campus project is scheduled for completion in fall 2016 in conjunction with the return of students in the fall semester.