The City of Fort Wayne will not disclose results of testing done on a key piece of property north of downtown that's being contemplated for a major development project.

Indiana's NewsCenter placed a formal request for findings related to testing on the old OmniSource property at 1610 North Calhoun Street, but the request was denied.

The City of Fort Wayne some time ago lined up an option to buy the 29-acre site, with a vision of transforming that land into a development gem known as the North River Project.

A task force spent months exploring various plans for housing and retail in that area, possibly a youth sports complex, Water Park or other community attraction that could spark even more investment.

But because that land for years hosted scrap metal recycling, questions arise about whether there are environmental contamination issues that need to be exposed.

Indiana's NewsCenter requested records of soil testing that's been conducted, but the City Legal Department turned down that request.

The City cited state code suggesting that economic development commissions are exempt from disclosure requirements, during negotiations with a commercial prospect.

I'm told environmental testing is ongoing, as the City has until the end of the year to decide if it wants to pay 4.3 million dollars for that land.

OmniSource apparently allowed the City to conduct testing, only if the results were not made public.

Carol Taylor/Fort Wayne City Attorney: " The City, in doing that testing, is doing due diligence to ensure that that property is appropriate for the uses it's contemplating, so, I don't think the City would proceed with a purchase of that property if that environmental assessment weren't somewhat favorable."

Taylor could not say if the testing results would have to be submitted to city council, in the event a sale was finalized.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has record of underground storage tanks leaking some gasoline and diesel fuel into the soil there, years ago.

But those tanks were removed and cleanups were completed to IDEM’s satisfaction.