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By ​Michelle Bandor
& CJ Woodring

This is the first in a series of articles designed to introduce Historic South Wayne Neighborhood residents to one another. Whether you’ve lived here for decades, just a few years, or you're one of the new kids on the block, reach out, say hi and introduce yourself to your neighbor. In addition, we urge you to actively involve yourself by attending neighborhood association meetings and by keeping abreast of what’s happening in—and outside of—the ’07 area.

Hello neighbors! I'm Michelle Bandor. My husband Bob and I are both Fort Wayne natives and grew up on the city’s north side. We have two adult daughters, Natalie Varda and Allison Bandor,  both South Side High School graduates. Before discovering the South Wayne neighborhood, we lived in a post-WWII prefab bungalow on Kenwood Avenue (46805). That tiny house was Bob’s “bachelor pad” before we were married; we lived there until our older daughter was 8 years old. 

Bob and I started looking for a bigger house around 1984, but interest rates at that time were about 14%. In the meantime, I’d pick up Colonial Homes and Traditional Home magazines at the grocery store and imagine what life would be like in a larger home. When interest rates fell to 10%, we started looking at local market listings.

One Sunday we drove south on Broadway, looking for an open house advertised on Beaver Avenue in Southwood Park on the south side of Rudisill. We took a wrong turn, ending up driving down W. Wildwood Avenue, and were astonished at the size and beauty of the houses there. We had no idea this neighborhood existed. The brick French Colonial Revival house on W. Wildwood happened to be for sale. 

We bought the house from David and Thelma Ochstein, who had lived in the house since  the mid-1950s. Despite the wall-to-wall celery green carpet, heavy green drapes and wallpaper, we saw its potential. We were charmed by the breakfast nook, phone niche, the walk-up attic and all the space. Our home is one of the "younger" houses built by Wildwood Builders in 1929.

We moved into it in October 1989, immediately falling in love with the South Wayne neighborhood. As soon as our U-Haul van pulled up, neighbors—Jeannine Dunmire Phillips and Linda Lallow—came over with a plate of brownies and gave us a warm welcome. We had learned there was an active neighborhood association and became involved. Early on, a petition was being circulated to update our streetlights. At the time, W. Wildwood had the original molded cement street lights with “harvest moon” globes that cast a mellow glow to the streetscape. Our initial thought was that we didn’t want them replaced with modern lights. However, after attending association meetings and learning all the details, we were convinced to eventually sign the petition to replace the vintage street lighting as the best long-term option for the entire neighborhood. 

A group of long time residents were responsible for getting our neighborhood rezoned to R-1; the association was reactivated shortly thereafter in 1988. Families most associated with this success were the Larsons, Tagtmeyers, Dawsons, DeVoes and Sinishes. In the early ‘90s, our always-active association obtained recognition on the National Register of Historic Places for the South Wayne neighborhood. That was a source of pride and a real accomplishment for us, as well as a valuable contribution to Fort Wayne. 

I volunteered to serve as HSWNA board secretary for several years in the early to mid-‘90s, served as block captain for awhile, then volunteered for secretary about 2008 or ‘09. Finally, I served as association president from 2010 to 2013. Somewhere in there I served as newsletter editor too. Over the years, my family and I have been involved in neighborhood clean-ups, tree planting, car washes and cookouts to raise money for the neighborhood association, knocking on doors to solicit association memberships and driving with a partner for neighborhood crime watch.

In 2005, we had an opportunity to buy an ice-cream bicycle and Bob rode that around the PAPA neighborhoods on the weekends and evenings during the week. He got to know many people in the area who looked forward to his arrival. We were always able to undersell those annoying ice-cream trucks and his customers liked being able to save a buck on their Chaco Tacos. 

I recently left my job as an Activities Assistant at The Waters of Fort Wayne (formerly Miller’s Merry Manor). I worked there for almost four years driving the van, leading exercise classes, calling bingo and leading other activities for the residents. I’m a “front yard farmer” now. After taking an Urban Ag Class at the Purdue Extension in 2019, we got rid of our lawn and now grow fruit and vegetables. 

Since we’ve been here, we’ve seen many changes and improvements. The HSWNA has matured and stabilized along with the neighborhood itself. There is something about the area that charms people into either staying for generations or returning if they’ve been away for awhile. Much of that draw can be attributed to the friendliness of people who live here and their commitment to the neighborhood and city. We are truly grateful for all of the newcomers who are currently keeping the association running!

Neighborhood activism along the Broadway corridor and into the West Central neighborhood helped enable the Electric Works project to become a success. Broadway has come a long way from its days of Triple X bookstores and strip clubs. All of the neighborhoods in our area have suddenly become desirable, bringing with it a rise in home values, which can be both a blessing and curse. As a collective neighborhood, we need to guard against gentrification and pricing people out of the market. 
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My advice to anyone looking for a home in the ’07 is to beware of inflated prices on some of the newly renovated houses. Be sure to get a solid inspection before making an offer. Make sure you have a bit of savings for those unexpected repairs. Older houses can be a money pit! Last but not least, I would advise new homeowners to get involved in their neighborhood association. 

This concludes a four-segment article by C.J. Woodring, a long-time HSWN  resident. CJ discusses Fort Wayne’s past role in music, how hundreds of individuals at all levels continue to support local music, and why many city leaders believe we should be nominated as a “Top 10 Music City.”
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By CJ Woodring
Read Part I • Part II • Part III

Downtown Fort Wayne kicked off January in “grand” style when the Grand Wayne Center hosted the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) at a Professional Development Conference, the largest and most diverse professional development event for Indiana’s music educators. The three-day symposium included performances by area choirs and bands, featuring members of all ages, while music teachers at all levels accessed more than 100 sessions and meetings with nearly 100 clinicians.

THE VENUES
Fort Wayne's musical offerings draw followers of every age and genre, ranging from the ABCs of acoustic, blues, classic/classical to honky tonk, jazz and rock. And from DIY karaoke to productions and eclectic concerts by top-name performers. Venues are nearly limitless in the city, where a majority are locally owned and operated, and many are free or at little cost.

Throughout the past year, Fort Wayne was alive with music in conjunction with annual  festivals. The Fort Wayne Music Festival hit Headquarters Park in May, highlighting regional and national performers. Also that month, the Fort Wayne Cherry Blossom Festival presented Japanese folk dance, traditional Koto music and modern Classical Japanese music at the downtown Allen County Public Library. In June, the Foellinger Theater Campus hosted the

Middle Waves Music Festival. July, August and September rocked with the popular downtown Three Rivers Festival, Taste of the Arts and Johnny Appleseed Festival, held in Johnny Appleseed and Archer parks, respectively. And in October, Korea Festival featured the popular K-Pop while also celebrating traditional music using the gayageum, a Korean harp.

Depending upon the time of year, music lovers can also catch a concert in a covered outdoor pavilion or open-air amphitheater or cheer a concert at Parkview Field. Visit a historic downtown theater or a renovated southwest central theater that presents local bands six nights a week, attracting fans from more than 25 states. Enjoy a winery and vineyard with a view. Check out an avant-garde destination on the edge of downtown. Discover the romance of music and fine dining in smaller, intimate settings, including various pubs, clubs and lounges. Or attend a musical theatrical production at the Civic, historic Embassy or First Presbyterian theaters.

This weekend, the 36th annual Fort Wayne FAME Festival is highlighting student performances, including vocalists, dancers and dramatists, along with showcasing student art displays. Workshops will feature guest musicians, dancers and visual artists. It all takes place at the Grand Wayne Center in downtown Fort Wayne.  Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 18 and under; participation in most activities is free. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

THE SUPPORTERS
Last, but certainly far from least, Summit City residents contribute their talents in supporting musicians as financial donors and/or community volunteers. In July 2020, the Rotary Club of Fort Wayne honored three of these individuals. They are:

• Chuck Surack, Sweetwater founder and now chairman of the company's board. As owners of the historic Clyde Theater, refurbished as a premier music, arts and entertainment venue in the city's '07 district, Surack and his wife, Lisa, are major contributors to communitywide efforts, and have established the Chuck and Lisa Surack Endowed Scholarship for Music Technology at the University of Saint Francis. More recently, the couple made a significant contribution for a music technology building to benefit Purdue Fort Wayne students.

• Graphic/mural artist/program host Julia Meek. For more than 40 years, the popular Meek has interviewed musicians, artists, poets, writers, photographers and foodies on public radio WBOI, 89.1-FM—as a community volunteer. On “Meet the Music,” Meek hosts regional musicians of all genres Thursday and Monday nights on WBOI Podcast Café.

• Marshall White, CEO and founder of Unity Performing Arts Foundation. White uses music to build character and change lives in a positive way, serving a dual role as director/life coach for Voices of Unity Choir. The group was named one of the top 50 arts- and humanities-based programs in the country serving youth beyond business hours. White led members to international competitions and two gold medals in the 6th World Chair Games in China in 2010.

As a longtime player on Indiana's musical stage, Fort Wayne continues to contribute an impressive and versatile array of performers to the scene. The City of Fort Wayne, theater and club owners and restaurateurs continue to provide a wide array of venues in which to enjoy music nearly daily throughout the year. Along with the local newspaper (fortwayne.com), Visit Fort Wayne (visitfortwayne.com) and other event calendars, Whatzup (whatzup.com) distributes a free arts and entertainment weekly overview of the best events while Input Fort Wayne (inputfortwayne.com) introduces arts, artists and venues from a more unique and in-depth perspective.

It is for these reasons, and many more, that Fort Wayne residents—whether or not they reside in the HSWN or in the 46807 zip—and regional aficionados are invited to support the city's designation as a "Top 10 Music City." Please join in applauding, encouraging and supporting local and regional musicmakers of all ages, sizes, colors and faiths as they proudly continue to strike up the band, make their own kind of music, march to their own drum—and teach the world how to sing!