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South Bend edevelopment Commission <br />Regular Mee ing - July 11, 1980 <br />6. NEW <br />d. contiinued..... <br />Mr. Ellison: On July 9, 1980, the petition <br />for tax abatement consideration for property <br />located at the Southwest corner of Washington <br />and Grant Street, commonly referred to as <br />210C W. Washington Street was filed with the <br />City Clerk. The staff undertook a study and <br />based on its study recommends that the Commission <br />find that the area qualifies as an urban <br />development area pursuant to the statute for <br />the following reasons. Those reasons are <br />ess ntially the ones outlined on the <br />petition. In the explanation the report <br />indicates that Mr. Batteast is in the <br />construction business and that he <br />owns the largest minority construction company <br />in outh Bend and in the State of Indiana. <br />Mr. Batteast plans to construct a 4,000 <br />sq. ft. office building on the subject <br />property and in turn intends to least it <br />long term to the Urban League. The <br />Urban League intends to use the structure <br />as a principal office. The project is <br />estimated at $195,000.00. This project <br />may be familiar to the Commission because <br />as the report.indicates, the Merry Avenue <br />site was sold in June 1979 by the <br />Coimiission to Robert Hepler, who in turn <br />sold the subject 2.15 undeveloped acres <br />to Robert Batteast. In order for that <br />transaction to occur, and before our <br />Coimiission approval, the Redevelopment <br />CoTmission in fact did approve that <br />transaction earlier in the year. The <br />report indicates.that a visual inspection <br />took place which confirms that the area <br />in cuestion remains vacant and under- <br />utilized and situated near properties, <br />with the exception of new construction <br />by Mr. Hepler, with different signs of <br />deterioration and decay. We also <br />checked the environmental complaints <br />and found a long list of litter complaints <br />and weeds for general period during which <br />the rpoperty was in public hands. The <br />report goes on to say that inasmuch as <br />the area in question is urban renewal <br />land it remains underutilized and <br />re ins undeveloped despite its sale <br />last year to a private party. <br />20 <br />