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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting —March 13, 2012 <br />6. NEW BUSINESS (CONT.) <br />C. Airport Economic Development Area <br />(7) continued... <br />The project is being contemplated in several <br />phases so the Commission will have enough <br />time to absorb a lot of the complexity as well <br />as the scope of the opportunity. <br />The Mayor noted that the portion of the <br />project for which we are asking approval <br />today is referred to as Phase I and contains <br />the most straight - forward elements of the <br />project. The Union Station business needs to <br />grow in order to meet its expanding customer <br />base. This is an opportunity for us in city <br />government to learn how to move at the pace <br />of high -tech business. Opportunities to work <br />with Internet - driven businesses come and go <br />at a swiftness that we're not used to in some <br />other industrial environments. We need to <br />find the right balance between providing the <br />Commission with the information it needs to <br />make decisions, and at a fast enough pace to <br />meet the needs of the business. <br />Mayor Pete communicated his enthusiasm <br />for the potential to have a structure that in <br />many ways economically taunted us by its <br />emptiness and to also bring high - paying jobs <br />back into that structure once again. He <br />believes it's a particularly compelling <br />possibility for the Commission to entertain. <br />Mr. Kevin Smith, head of Union Station <br />Properties, explained his vision for the multi - <br />phased project. He purchased Union Station <br />in 1977 and slowly began renovating it, <br />briefly running it as a conference /catering <br />facility. But it became apparent that there <br />20 <br />