RM 07-06-79 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Me ting July 6, 1979 7. PROGRESS REPORTS (continued) Mr Bartolo: I have been to the Century Center about four or five times and whenever I bring another team member I always make a point of taking him there. I have traveled to many cities, and a lot of cities in the past five or ten years have build convention centers; but I have never seen a convention center such as South Bend's, I am really, really impressed, because it is ideal. For what we think of the fut,ure of this project; we have recently proposed to the City, that we be retained for Phase II to go into the implementation.. One more ingredient, which I failed to mention about the project, is a transit facility. I believe most of us feel that the present facility is not inefficient, so we are proposing co ceptually a covered transit terminal, which will ha dle all the existing routes and possibly expansion routes in a very efficient manner. So we have 210,000 square feet of office, 1,425 parking spaces, 100,000 square feet of retail, a transit terminal, and the retention of the Odd Fellows Building, the Sherland Building, and the Jefferson Street Parking Garage. Concerned Citizen: I have two questions I wish to ask. Number 1...I noticed you mentioned the service of downtown concerning retail stores, etc., ......what is your position on large retail stores rather than small businesses in the community, and the accommodations of people due to the fa t that we do have two large convention centers? Mr Bartolo: I will answer your first question. We think it is very important that downtown South Bend not at empt to compete with your suburban malls. They ha e a certain market demand and they are very well ge red to meet it. It would be our intention to fill as much of that retail mall as possible with local merchants as opposed to national chains. Not only wo ld it give a different look, but it would give a di ferent feel to the project. We are emphasizing as much as possible that local merchants and artisans anJ craftsmen be included in this project. We are saying that it won't work unless you get the merchant MiK that is really highly localized and really tailored to your kind of market and your kind of needs. wh s cerned Citizen: The question, of course, is ther the accommodations for people will be table, as we will be having more visitors. -13-