05-18-2007 Studebaker building to get $14 million rehabilitation

Home Browse Search

The St. Joe Valley Metronet provides an important backbone for growth of local businesses and for attracting new high-tech ventures with the need to transmit large amounts of data This 40-mile high-speed data network of fiber-optic lines runs almost exclusively in South Bend's traffic conduit. The Metronet, overseen by a nonprofit board, provides a vendor-neutral infrastructure that enables subscribers to connect to the Internet with virtually unlimited bandwidth. Companies can be two milliseconds away from the Chicago network for afraction of the cost. This high-speed connectivity and access to transcontinental fiber linking it to the rest of the country makes South Bend an ideal location for such high-tech business entities as data backup and disaster recovery operations, data and call centers, conference centers and research facilities. "The intended adapted reuse of the building is for ahigh-tech office building, capitalizing on the building's massive size and proximity to the Metronet backbone," said Jennifer Laurent, a planner with the city's Department of Community and Economic Development. "Because this facility was designed as an office building, it makes a much better candidate for reuse than former factory sites in the Studebaker corridor." The work will occur in two phases, according to Todd Zeiger, director of Historic Landmarks' northern regional office. • Phase I, lasting about six months, will consist of exterior renovation and restoration, including restoration of the windows, repainting trim, tuck-pointing when necessary and possible restoration of the front doors. During this phase, demolition will begin on interior partitions not original to the building, including opening up penthouse windows over the central court that now are covered by a drop ceiling. • Phase II, about six to eight months in length, will focus on interior renovation as well as build outs for specific tenants and other work, such as parking lots, to make occupancy possible. The building will be re-wired, including with fiber-optic cable, and receive new mechanical and electrical systems. Spaces will be developed to suit needs of specific tenants and restoration work will proceed in the administrative wing and on important historical aspects of the building. Construction is expected to begin by this fall with occupancy of the building by October 2008. "We were attracted to the rich architecture and solid construction of the Studebaker Administration building and its adjacency to the fiber-optic lines," said Doug Chamberlain, principal of the Heritage Restoration and Development Co. "We see in this site a real opportunity to build on the history and fiber-optic capacity to re-purpose the building for the new millennium." The mayor announced the details of the project today(Friday, May 18, 2007) at the Studebaker Administration building with Marcia Jones, president of the Redevelopment Commission; Zeiger of Historic Landmarks Foundation; Chamberlain of Heritage Restoration and Development Co.; and Dr. Robert Zimmerman, SBCSC superintendent. According to the agreement, the Redevelopment Commission will commit a maximum of $600,000 to the project—but only when the developer has a demonstrated investment of more than $6 million. Cost for the building's complete rehabilitation exceeds $14 million. "The Commission's financial role would only be triggered with substantial completion of 2