SIRVA to move 400 jobs downtown to I&M Power Center
By Kevin Leininger | News-Sentinel
The downtown work force will grow by 400 by the end of the year thanks to a moving company's relocation.
SIRVA, now at 5001 U.S. 30 W., will be moving the jobs into the Indiana Michigan Power Center by the end of the year, according to local developer Bill Bean, who paid $12 million for the former One Summit Square in 2014. The 27-story building is the tallest in Fort Wayne, and Bean said Sirva will occupy six floors.
About $3 million in improvements to the building will start almost immediately and will include complete reconstruction of floors 7-12, improvements to the auditorium, conference room and common areas, and the reopening of the long-closed Window Garden restaurant on the 13th floor.
Once the move is complete, the building will be about 75 percent occupied, Bean said.
Bean also plans to buy SIRVA's current 280,000-square-foot facility and about 70 adjoining acres adjacent to Sweetwater Sound on U.S. 30. Some tenants are already there, and Bean will market the property to other prospective users.
“This new, modern setting includes accessibility to amenities that will benefit current employees and customers and position us to attract top talent drawn to the overall revitalization of northeast Indiana," Andrew Coolidge, president of international
moving and chief supply chain and operational excellence officer for SIRVA said in a statement. “For over 40 years, SIRVA has been a part of the Fort Wayne community. We'd like to thank the city of Fort Wayne and Greater Fort Wayne Inc. as they worked diligently on our behalf to help find a location that met our current and future needs.
"Rather than remodel our current facility, leasing a new facility will enable us to more efficiently manage fixed costs and prioritize funds to align with our growth goals.”
Mayor Tom Henry, meanwhile, stated he's ”appreciative of SIRVA's commitment to our community and their relocation to the heart of Fort Wayne."
SIRVA Inc. moves more than 300,000 families each year to more than 175 countries and its network of global brands has offices in more than 40 countries. SIRVA's brands include Allied, Allied International, Allied Special Products, DJK Residential, Global, northAmerican, northAmerican International, SIRVA Mortgage, SIRVA Relocation and SIRVA Settlement.
