RM 11-16-79 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Me ting - November 16, 1979 7. PROGREtS REPORTS a. MrI Ellison continues... an that this is the only way to get a very quick answer to th t question and therefore protect us. The problem with th Advisory Council and dragging the thing on could be that we may find ourselves in the situation the City of Mishawaka fo nd itself in, which.is a very costly public proposition. Es entially what it comes down to is we have to demonstrate th t there is no economic means to save that building, and ob iously there are a number of factors involved in any economic analysis. The problem I have with groups like the Ad isory Council or Historic Preservation is that they come from a biased point of view. They are not economists any more than I'm an economist, I think we have to control as many factors regarding that building locally as possible. In light of the Commission's actions, I personally don't want to deal with the Advisory Council, I'd much prefer to go to the ultimate federal authority, get the determination', gel; that question settled. If the building is historic, or if it is eligible for inclusion in the district, that has significant ramifications on the design of the mall, and significant ramifications on any subsequent Commission action that may be necessary relative to the block to the north of it The problem with the Historic Preservation is that it is a very subjective course for anybody. My feeling is that the standards, the criteria are very loose, they're subject to a great deal of interpretation, a great deal of subjec- tivity. The worst thing the public sector can do is be in a position where we cannot move because of somebody else dictating to us that we have not done enough. I think it's in our interest to settle that question as rapidly as possible. Mr Cira: Carl, is it possible for them to withdraw their Do ition on the Historical site? Mr. Ellison: -My own feeling is that, in light of the environ- me tal requirements as they relate to the Community Develop- me tit money that was used to acquire the structure, I think the previous environmental review satisfies this question of the relationship of the building to the district. In our va t discussions with the Keeper of the Register and with the Ad isory Council of the Historic Preservation and the State Hi tonic Preservation Office we went into this question, the qu stion of the relationship of that building and others to th W. Washington district and relationship of those to the Odl Fellows, and the JMS and the Oliver Building in a his to is district. It just seems to me that our only alterna- tie is to get the thing settled one way or another, and th only way I know to do that is to request this determina- ti n and to provide the evidence that is necessary to su aort that. -36