06-22-2007 Sale will facilitate expansion of 2 downtown businesses

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o�sou Tx F dx :J b W eFacE � � y� a 1, a2 1865 Office of the Mayor NEWS RELEASE Friday, June 22, 2007 5:00 PM Sale will facilitate expansion of 2 downtown businesses Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications&Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876- 1564, or Bill Schalliol, city planner, 235-5842 Two downtown-area businesses will begin expansion this summer, after the South Bend Redevelopment Commission approved the sale of a city-owned property that allows one business to move into a larger facility and its current neighbor to expand. The Redevelopment Commission unanimously approved a staff recommendation Friday (June 22, 2007)to sell the former Enzyme Research property, 412 S. Lafayette Blvd., to Wightman Petrie Inc., a company of engineers, surveyors and landscape architects with offices at 713 S. Scott St. Wightman Petrie is offering $131,000 to buy the facility, in which the company plans to invest $80,000 to $100,000 in renovation to serve its daily needs as well as to improve the fagade and landscaping. The company also sought immediate access to the property to perform maintenance and repairs, and begin renovation. The 9,000-square-foot facility has been vacant since 2006 when Enzyme Research and a sister company, R2 Diagnostics, moved into a more than 25,000-square-foot facility at 1801 Commerce Drive, on the south side of South Bend Regional Airport. The sale and relocation also will allow for the Wightman Petrie's current neighbor, AB Custom Fabricating, 707 S. Scott St., to expand into the firm's existing facility for which a sale already has been negotiated, according to David M. Rafinski, Wightman Petrie vice president. "Just last year, [AB Custom Fabricating] completed a building addition to their current operation and has found the need for further expansion of their business. We view this proposed project with the Enzyme Research building and our current property as a