11-14-11 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 14, 2011 used a series of assumptions of different product types which is again why he is asking for the PUD. He stated that the project would generate annual estimated income tax between $250,000 – 400,000 dollars, and create a lot of jobs. Create construction jobs and will create permanent jobs. He stated that he believes that it will be good for the community and especially good for the surrounding neighborhood, it will also help improve values. Mr. Perri stated that basically what he is asking tonight is to infuse much needed investment into the City of South Bend. He stated that this is a fairly large infill tract, very difficult to develop. He stated that the Area Plan Commission Staff in their report stated that it was very difficult to develop and stated that a PUD were designed to allow this kind of flexibility and creativity. Mr. Perri noted his track record in the business, he stated that he has been before the Council a lot with PUD’s, single developments, changes of use, changes of zoning over the years. He state that he does not intend to let the neighbors down, nor the Council down in pursuing respectable and fundamentally strong growth. He stated that the reality of the current market command that he do a PUD for this development and that is why he is here tonight. He stated that he believes it would be a great thing for the east side on a site that has never had any development nor any interest in development because the former owner was really out of town and in fact out of country who had no interest in developing this site back in the days when you could say a much more viable commercial market in that neighborhood. Mr. Perri asked the Council for a chance and approve this PUD to allow him to put into use several uses which would complement each other and would allow much needed tax revenue to flow back into the City. Councilmember Kirsits asked Mr. Perri if he was able to meet with the neighbors. Mr. Perri stated that he did. He met with the Bercliff Estate neighbors and they had a nice meeting. He stated that they met at a building that he owns the former Key Bank Building, in the 3600 block of McKinley. He stated that from what he could gather at the meeting that the primary objection was the multi-family zoning. However, he stated that he has been in this business over 30 years and can’t say too often that he has ever had the neighbors really in favor of a plan or development of this type. He stated that it is in fact kind of hard to want to have additional traffic because there is going to be some, additional people and additional businesses with what goes on in a business. He stated that the neighbors were very cordial they just don’t see eye to eye. He stated that he did not meet with the McKinley Terrance neighbors because he did not know who to meet with. However, he did meet with the home owner adjacent on the corner. Councilmember Oliver Davis asked Mr. Perri about the success of his tract record and asked him to share more about that and his commitment to this community. Mr. Perri stated that he was born and raised here and still lives here. He stated that he lives abut two miles from the site. He stated that he has been involved over 30 years in real estate and it has been his only career. He stated that he has been involved in development of over 40 projects in way, form or fashion. He stated that he has been the major partner/developer of a dozen of those 40 projects. They range from office buildings to industrial buildings. He stated that he was even involved in a former large PUD on the out skirts of town, Portage Prairie. He stated that he has done some development in Mishawaka, but out of all the investment that he has done probably 90% of it has been in the City of South Bend. Mr. Perri stated that this is not the first project he has done and God willing it won’t be his last. Mr. Perri stated that he has other investments in the city and just recently acquired a large parcel which is a very important parcel in the City of South Bend and hopes to develop that and may be back before the Council for some assistance on that. He stated that he is not going to run after spending his entire life here. This is where he is and this is who he is and asked the Council to take that into consideration. He stated that sometimes developers can give other developers a black eye. He stated that they are capitalists and that’s what they do, they do it for a profit. He stated that he has been involved in civic organizations in this community. He stated that he has been involved in his development practices and is committed to the community and hopes that stands for something today. 7