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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting -October 20, 2006 <br />4. COMMUNICATIONS (CONT.) <br />neighborhoods. <br />The LaSalle Square area is a hidden gem which boasts a <br />proud heritage, once home to the Bendix Corporation. <br />Bendix, formerly one of the largest employers in the City, <br />provided well paying manufacturing and white collar jobs for <br />several generations of working middle class families, many of <br />whom live din the single family owned homes that dominate <br />the neighborhoods surrounding LaSalle Square. However, <br />this economic climate has changed and the number of well- <br />paying manufacturing jobs providing generous benefits and <br />stable employment decreased significantly. <br />International corporations, Bosch and Honeywell, now <br />occupy the facility which formerly housed Bendix. LaSalle <br />Square, which once provided major retail opportunities for <br />west side residents, lost its anchor stores, Kroger and Target. <br />The Portage Avenue/Cleveland Road retail and commercial <br />development also contributed to loss of opportunities for the <br />LaSalle Square area. The new commercial development <br />benefited by being part of the airport TIF which provided <br />ample funds for infrastructure improvements to support the <br />increase in traffic and commercial activity. <br />The continued erosion of opportunities coupled with the <br />Portage Avenue/Cleveland Road retail development a few <br />miles north also contributed to a decision by the St. Joseph <br />County Library to announce to close its LaSalle Square <br />Branch and open a new facility located in the new <br />development area. Strong opposition from neighborhood <br />residents and concerned community members convinced the <br />library to maintain and even expand its current operations at <br />LaSalle Square. <br />In addition to above future expansion of the LaSalle Public <br />Library the other major positive development to LaSalle <br />Square occurred when The Faith Apostolic Church saw an <br />opportunity to restore life to LaSalle Square by purchasing, <br />refurbishing and occupying a large part of the vacated areas <br />while continuing to rent to small retail concerns which still <br />occupied space in the shopping area. This provided a <br />springboard for renewal. Another positive development is <br />the migration of young families into the area attracted by the <br />5 <br />