10/08/07 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETINGOCTOBER 8, 2007 urged the Council to pass this ordinance now and save this building and start this Montessori School as soon as possible. The time is right, the building is right, the opportunity is right, don’t throw it away. Ms. Susan Youens, 850 Forest Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in favor of this bill. She stated that she is a veteran of issues like this, she grew up around it. Her father was a specialist, an architect who specialized in rehabbing historic buildings for the School District of Houston, Texas. She grew up hearing about the economics of rehabilitation versus new construction. According to those childhood lessons rehabilitation is not only more cost effective but new construction almost inevitability involves built in obsolescence setting in sooner rather than later. He became an ardent fan of rehabilitation over new construction and after seeing the construction, the virtues, the values of Marquette, she is of like mind and urged the Council to please consider landmarking this building. Ms. Susan Bullock, 843 Forest Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in favor of this bill. She stated that everything that she had prepared to say tonight has already been said, so she just wanted to reiterate that she would like to see this building landmarked. She stated that she spent some time in Marquette having only vaguely known where it was in South Bend. She advised that she was a case worker for a couple of years, and there were children of all economic levels and was assigned to some that were having some problems. She was in the classrooms for hours with these children observing and she could see that they were taken in by the walls, the windows, and the big radiators. There is just a dignity that her kids when they were home were in very humble buildings and this was there only chance to have an experience of solidarity of beauty and history. She really appreciates that and hopes that when the Council tours the facility you will have that same feeling. Mr. Ronald Searcy, 16287 Berry Knoll, Granger, Indiana, spoke in favor of this bill. He stated that he is an architect and also is the current President of the local chapter of the AIA, and is here tonight representing himself. He stated that he attended a school like Marquette and spent four years there. As a child he marveled at its size and its historical value that represents. Marquette Primary Center a PWA project, the only one of its kind in the area is something of great significance. He encouraged the Council to support this bill. Ms. Yvonne Herring, 1707 Hamilton, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in favor of this bill. She stated that she lives just doors down from Marquette Primary Center. She encouraged the Council to vote in favor of landmarking this building. Ms. Herring stated that all three of her daughters went to this school and she has lived there for forty-five (45) years and appreciates its historic significance. Ms. Amy Herdman, 330 W. Colfax, (Old Central High School) South Bend, Indiana, spoke in favor of this bill. She stated that she lives and works very passionately for the preservation of history. She noted that people often ask her how did she know what she wanted to do for a living. Ms. Herdman reflected back on when she was in sixth grade and she went to a lab school affiliated with Kent State University. There they taught non- traditional teaching methods and ramped creativity they also had very idealist student teachers, who when that school was threatened of being torn down, organized the students to a sit-in at the University President’s Office. She noted that they got as much press coverage as this issue with preserving Marquette Primary Center. That was a very sentimental moment in her development, the preservation bug bit her then and she now stands before the Council tonight thanking the Council for their consideration of landmark status for Marquette. She congratulated the Council for separating the rederick from the fact, for considering the school based entirely upon the criteria that have been described. Honestly, she noted that it is a very simply question, to approve landmark designation for Marquette the Council needs to only value what Marquette represents. Fine craftsmanship, local shared history, and the accomplishments of the thousands of idealist little learners that have matriculated through the doors. She thanked the Council for their consideration. 11