07/16/07 Council Special Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING JULY 16, 2007 development has a projected investment of over $200 million dollars. That does not include the triangle which they estimate to be another $12 - $15 million dollars. The project provides for the elimination of 25 vacant homes, including the triangle within the development. They believe that the project will employ approximately 375 construction workers during the construction of the retail, office, hotels and parking garage. 500 new jobs will be created and supported during the construction of the apartments and for sale residential homes. The project will allow for the creation of 330 permanent jobs with an anticipated average annual salary of $28,500.00. On going spending for the new households in the development and triangle development will support approximately 630 jobs after this is even completed. The tax base created can be potentially be used to fund infrastructure improvements for the triangle development for the 61 single family homes in this area. They believe that the positive ripple effect which they cannot totally measure will extend way beyond the scope of this neighborhood and to other areas of the City of South Bend. In conclusion, they believe that the Eddy Street Commons accomplishes the goals and objectives set forth by the City of South Bend, NNRO, NENC, and various interested parties established over the last 20+ year period. It represents a private capital investment in the City of South Bend of over 200 million dollars; the project did receive a positive recommendation by a vote of 8-1 from the Area Plan Commission. It is supported by the NNRO and NENC and believes that it provides extensive economic benefits for the City of South Bend. He also addressed two issues that came up at the Zoning & Annexation Committee. Mr. Compton stated that Councilmember Varner had a question about the Architectural Review Board, the Architectural Review Board is proposed to have three members, one would be a member from Kite, one from the University of Notre Dame; and agree to one member being appointed by the City Council. It could either be someone from the Council or an interested person from the public who has followed the project, but one would be an appointee made by the City Council. It would be a three member board that would follow the zoning commitments regarding consistency. The architecture of the project will maintain its general style quality and integrity in design. With the third and fmal appointee, they imagine that they will have good set of eyes and ears' regarding the development as it goes forward. Mr. Compton stated that he will have Dick Nussbaum address the questions regarding the Marriott. Dick Nussbaum, Attorney, 210 S. Michigan Street, South Bend, Indiana, explained the context of his speaking before the Council tonight. Mr. Nussbaum stated that last week at the Council Meeting there were some concerns about the impact of the Marriott in the Eddy Street Commons Project on the Downtown Marriott Hotel. He stated that he is here tonight not as a representative of the Marriott Corporation, he doesn't do any work for Marriott, he is not here tonight as a representative of Kite Realty, he doesn't do any work for Kite Realty, but he did have a relationship with the President and Chief Operating Officer of Marriott International, Bill Shaw, as a result of some work that they do together at Notre Dame. He placed a call to Bill Shaw the night of the lgt Council Meeting and he was gracious enough to return the call the next day, and he explained to him what the question was. He was very familiar with the project; he has been to South Bend and Notre Dame many, many times. He referred him to two individuals, the first Mr. Tim Marvin, Senior Vice-President, North American Development, for Marriott International and to Rob Stigerwold, who territory in North America is actually encompasses Northern Indiana. So he had a number of conversations with those individuals and asked if they would submit a letter to the Council, explaining their process of consideration of how it relates to a Marriott facility. Specifically what there conclusion was at this point, as it relates to the impact of the Marriott in the Eddy Street Commons Project as it relates to the Downtown Marriott. He received this morning a letter from Mr. Marvin, a copy of that letter was provided to the Council and the Council Attorney, the original of that letter will arrive tomorrow morning and would ask the Council Attorney to substitute the copy with the original when that gets delivered. The letter is three paragraphs, the first paragraph addresses the reason for the letter and he believes that there has been some discussion here tonight about respect and about honesty, and he thinks that Marriott taking the time to send this letter does show respect for this project and in particular respect for the questions that have been raised by the Council. It is highly unusual for them to write a letter like this. The second paragraph of the letter does indicate that it is not uncommon, it's common place for there to be a