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' <br />s5 o9(;9.1 <br />' <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Since 1968 three areas near the center of South Bend have been <br />declared to be redevelopment areas by the South Bend Redevelopment <br />Commission. These three areas - the Central Downtown Urban Renewal <br />' Area, the East Bank Development Area and the Monroe Sample <br />Development Area - were each found to be blighted areas and plans <br />were adopted to eliminate that blight and bring about new growth and <br />' redevelopment. The Central Downtown Urban Renewal Area was the <br />first to be declared, in 1968, followed by the East Bank Development <br />Area in 1980 and the Monroe Sample Development Area in 1981. <br />Each area had its own individuality in terms of land use, <br />zoning, public improvements and plans for revitalization and <br />redevelopment. Over the years, however, it became increasingly <br />clear that the three areas were related to each other. <br />Redevelopment activities in one area had a direct relationship on <br />redevelopment activities in the other areas. Each of these three <br />t areas has unique characteristics which impact the other areas and it <br />was recognized that redevelopment activities had to be coordinated <br />in order to get the maximum redevelopment benefit. or example, an <br />increase in the number of residential units in the East Bank and <br />' Monroe Sample areas will help strengthen the downtown office market <br />by providing additional housing within walking distance of the <br />downtown. Conversely, an increase in office workers in the downtown <br />' will improve the marketability of housing in the East Bank. <br />Additional residential units in the East Bank and Monroe Sample <br />areas will help support the retail businesses in the downtown while <br />' a stronger retail core in the downtown will improve the <br />marketability of housing in these neighborhoods. Also, the <br />recreational opportunities in the East Bank will support the <br />convention and tourism facilities in the downtown. <br />The interrelationship among the three areas has caused the <br />Redevelopment Commission to reexamine its plans for each of the <br />areas and to merge the areas into a single area for planning and <br />redevelopment purposes. This merged area will become part of a <br />larger area to be known as the South Bend Central Development Area <br />(Area). <br />As part of the reexamination of the three previously declared <br />areas it was determined that certain land, not included in the <br />original redevelopment areas, is directly tied into the <br />redevelopment efforts taking place in those areas. Therefore the <br />Area includes that additional land as well. <br />Although the plan that follows relates to the Area as a whole, <br />attention will be given to three units within the Area. The area <br />east of the river will be referred to as the East Bank, the area <br />east of Michigan Street and South of Monroe Street will be referred <br />to as Monroe Park and the remainder of the Area will be referred to <br />as the Central Business District. Each of these sub -areas has its <br />B own land -use, and proper development of the sub -areas will be <br />critical to successful redevelopment of the Area as a whole. <br />-1- 5 -10 -85 <br />