01-21-11 Redevelopment Commission Minutes

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South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Meeting –January 21, 2011 projects. He noted that these repairs and renovations need to take place in the summer, the slowest time for the Morris’ business. Mr. Andres then gave a report on the needs for the Jon R. Hunt Plaza. The Redevelopment Authority is the owner of the Morris, the Palais Royale and The Vine, as well as the Jon R. Hunt Plaza. The Parks Dept takes care of the upkeep of the plaza and the Morris schedules events there and runs the Fridays by the Fountain event. Over the last seven years the Commission and Morris have taken care of repairs that need to be made. Mr. Andres feels that the plaza has become a “money pit” and needs to be looked at to determine how much money we want to put into it to maintain it. The Morris and Parks have both reduced their budgets as the city has had to adjust to reduced income. They can no longer carry the plaza’s expenses. Ken Herceg & Associates has submitted a proposal to perform such an examination of the plaza and make recommendations for its maintenance and any redesign to minimize maintenance costs. Mr. Downes asked whether the emergency funds the Commission committed last summer were then for naught. The fountain was not really fixed. Mr. Andres responded that that $10,000 or so spent in 2010 replaced the electronics in the fountain’s mechanicals pit. The electronics boards run the pumps. The electronics are still fine. The pumps themselves are ruined. There will not be an active fountain this summer unless funds are allocated soon to fix the pumps. Mr. Varner asked if there is a plan for the plaza’s long term use, so as to not spend money now that doesn’t fit that long term plan. Mr. Andres responded that that is what the Herceg study will help to determine. Mr. Tim Wall, Herceg & Associates, noted that the 4