RM 12-04-81 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bend edevelopment Commission Regular Mee ing - December 4, 1981 5. COMMUNISATIONS (continued) meeting and I won't read the whole article, but one paragra h here reads: "a major reason to go forward with this, with commercial condos, is a change in the tax law this year that is expected to make the con- cept more attractive to purchasers. The change allows for faster depreciation and the ability to claim in- vestment tax credits in old rehabilitated buildings." I belie e that was Mr. Raker's concept or at least a mix of condos and in the he was your, he had sole negotiating rights at one point. This would seem to lend even more strength to that kind of an approach, if you sere going to reconsider. I think that one more conment might be that I don't question the moti- vation or the rationale the Redevelopment Commission has usec over the years in trying to make Downtown South Bend a better place. It does, I would ask though how man among us at this point, and maybe hindsight is clearer, would not like to see the old Library buildin , the old City Hall, perhaps even Kresge`s, and I might be stretching the point because it was such a large structure, but even the Oliver Hotel, now rehabilitated and still functioning in one use or anot er. I think there are far more communities around the country now that are doing what are really amazing things by rehabilitation rather than by knock- ing thi gs down and then looking for investment capi- tal to come in and do things. I am not saying you should Embrace one exclusively of another, but there seems tc be once you knock something down, it's for- ever gore, and both approaches need to be considered. I'll pass this article from the Tribune around if any- one would care to look at it. Mr. Nim z: I want to conclude this. Thank you very much, Councilman, for being here. Mr. Ettl contacted me yesterday and asked to be recognized today. Re- cognize a senior member of the Bar, Joseph Ettl. Mr. Ett' little k good fr- privy. thought neighbor Fellows All I ci in excel the Odd . I got here a little late so I might be a it out of line, I hope not, but I heard my end Don Wiggins say that somebody had to be I didn't know what he meant because I always that a privy was out in the back yard in my hood, and that's about the place that Odd Building is today. It's out in my back yard. n say is that I have been a member of the Bar s of 40 years and spent a good many years in Fellows Building, and it's a dump. It's a 20