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winning opportunity, not only for ourselves but for other downtown businesses and, <br /> importantly, the City of South Bend," Rafinski wrote in a letter to the Redevelopment <br /> Commission. "Through the expansion of our company and AB Custom Fabricating, this <br /> proposal opens up more employment opportunities within the downtown district for two <br /> existing South Bend companies. Through investment by both companies, it also will aid <br /> in improving property values as well as increasing the option income tax base." <br /> "We've known that most of job expansion comes from existing companies in the <br /> community, not from outside recruiting," said Mayor Stephen J. Luecke. "We're pleased <br /> that Wightman Petrie and AB Custom Fabricating are among the majority of local <br /> businesses with plans for increased employment or investment in South Bend over the <br /> next year." <br /> Through a partnership begun in 2006 between the City of South Bend and the Chamber <br /> of Commerce, visits to local business owners revealed that 57 percent are buying new <br /> equipment, 41 percent are increasing investment in their facilities and 56 percent plan to <br /> increase employment, adding about 600 new jobs to South Bend's economy. <br /> With corporate offices in Elkhart, Wightman Petrie opened its South Bend office in 2003 <br /> with a staff of two professionals. Today, the South Bend site is near capacity with 15 <br /> staff, and the company plans to add additional staff immediately. <br /> "It is our intention that new staff personnel will be based out of this proposed building <br /> until it has reached capacity," Rafinski wrote. "We feel that this property suits our growth <br /> projections for the foreseeable future and has the ability for us to add an additional 20 to <br /> 30 employees in this building." <br /> In addition, recent hires by Wightman Petrie and business expectations for AB Custom <br /> Fabricating, a structural metal fabricator, require Wightman Petrie's move from Scott <br /> Street to be complete by Aug. 1. "This will require that we perform our renovation work <br /> as well as physically moving our operation in an extremely short time frame," Rafinski <br /> wrote, asking the Redevelopment Commission for assistance in granting timely access to <br /> the property. <br /> "It has been our intention as well to be a part of the downtown business district and to <br /> continue to help in the development of the downtown area," he said. <br /> - 30 - <br />