AUBURN, Ind. (WANE)— A Fort Wayne developer wants to bring more activity to Auburn west of I-69. Todd Ramsey is behind multiple ongoing projects on Auburn's west side. One is a single-family housing development south of State Rd. 8 and east of County Rd. 19 called Watson Estates. That subdivision is approved and will have more than 130 single-family homes. 40 of them are already in the construction phase, being built by Granite Ridge Builders. Those homes will range from $300,000-$500,000. Courtesy: Nick Ramsey The plan for land owned by Todd Ramsey. Ramsey is in the design phase of another development just to the east of Watson Estates. There he wants to put 170 units; a mix of market rate apartments and townhomes. Once the design is complete, the proposal will be presented to the plan commission. Forty years on, ISP’s Marijuana Eradication Team is still at work to end illegal grows "We're doing some studies right now," Ramsey said. "We're hoping it's going to be a little less than the Dupont Road area." Apartments and Townhomes for rent in the Dupont Rd. area in Fort Wayne are currently starting around $1,300-$1,600 per month. Auburn Mayor Dave Clark fully supports the plans for development. He said Auburn needs the extra housing. "Auburn is just like any other community across the nation where we have a housing shortage," Clark said. "It's a need that we've had for quite some time. We've got one of the three largest steel makers in the world just 8 miles east of here." The results of a housing study commissioned by the DeKalb County Economic Development Partnership in 2021 said that DeKalb County needed 1,650 housing units built in the next five years. These developments will bring just more than 300. Beyond the need for more housing, Ramsey said Auburn is a sweet spot for development in northeast Indiana. "Union Chapel is the last Fort Wayne exit, and we're pushing the limits of that one," Ramsey said. "The next exit is Auburn. You can still live in Auburn and work in Fort Wayne." Other components of this plan for this area of Auburn include a Sonic Drive-In, a Mike's Car Wash, a new credit union, a new hotel, and two restaurants. There are also 22 acres available to the north of Watson Estates that Ramsey says would be suitable for a big-box store.