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J <br />1 II. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT <br />A. Purpose <br />s 5' .,9691 <br />For fifteen years the City of South Bend, Indiana has <br />undertaken an aggressive, innovative, affirmative and on -going <br />economic revitalization and physical redevelopment program for its <br />inner -city areas. At times this effort has consisted of separate <br />public and private actions; and,at times the effort has been a <br />private - public partnership. The South Bend Central Development Area <br />represents the next logical action in this continuing community <br />revitalization effort. <br />The revitalization of the inner -city requires a combination of <br />redevelopment and rehabilitation strategies. In those areas of the <br />inner -city where blight, deterioration, and obsolescence can be <br />reversed by rehabilitation, the City has developed and implemented <br />an area revitalization program that combines systematic and <br />aggressive code enforcement with housing rehabilitation programs, <br />small scale public works improvements, and maintenance programs. <br />However, not all areas of the inner -city will respond <br />positively to this combination of resources and programs. Since <br />1968 three contiguous areas within the core of the inner -city have <br />been declared separate redevelopment project areas. These three <br />areas are the Central Downtown Urban Renewal Area, the East Bank <br />Development Area, and the Monroe - Sample Development Area. Though <br />each of the three areas was approached as a separate and distinct <br />project, all three areas were interrelated both functionally and <br />economically. Changes in traffic patterns in one area affected <br />traffic patterns in the other two areas. Development or <br />redevelopment of land within one area affected the real estate <br />market in the other two areas. The redevelopment goals established <br />for one area could positively or negatively affect the achievement <br />of goals in the other two areas. <br />Though each area retained certain distinct characteristics, it <br />was recognized early in 1984 that it would be impossible to <br />optimally develop and redevelop each area without an integrated and <br />comprehensive revitalization strategy, plan, and implementation <br />program. It was decided that it was critical that the three areas <br />be merged and expanded to include contiguous areas critical to the <br />optimum development of the merged areas. <br />The expansion and merger of the three project areas has <br />resulted in the creation of the South Bend Central Development Area. <br />The interrelated aspect of the three areas is explicitly recognized <br />and articulated through a comprehensive plan and program <br />encompassing all the major elements in the central core of South <br />Bend's inner city: primary office space, retail, governmental and <br />cultural facilities, visitor facilities (such as convention and <br />conference centers, hotels, and recreational - entertainment <br />facilities), residential, specialized light industrial, <br />warehousing /distribution uses, secondary office space, <br />transportation, and urban open space and the St. Joseph River. <br />-6- 5 -10 -85 <br />