Northeast Indiana is home to one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing muscle in the country. Once employing the vast majority of its population, changes to the economy are leaving too many people out of new opportunities and threatening its ability to energize the next generation of growth. In response, Indiana Tech University engaged Yard & Co. to develop the Junction 36 with its development partner, Ancora, at its Fort Wayne Electric Works Innovation District on the site of a former General Electric plant. The Junction 36 is centered around three primary components; Building 36, Public Workshop, and Next/Gen. Building 36 is a center for heavy tech and advanced manufacturing innovation. Public Workshop will help diverse learners and entrepreneurs overcome systemic barriers by connecting them to a diverse set of resources. Next/Gen, provides unique learning experiences that connect talent to the community in ways that create strong emotional bonds and lead to enhanced talent retention and attraction.