January 1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ANN MANION 20725 Riverlan Road South Bend, Indiana 46637 -(219) 277-1496 January 20, 1992 Mr. Fred Holycross Historic'Preservation Commission County City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 Dear Fred, I am informed by Mr. James Pastor of your office that the Historic Preservation'Commission has taken exception to a new window that we have installed at 1071 Riverside Drive. Mr. Pastor indicated that he was not at liberty to disclose the details of his report or its recommendation to the Commission as a whole. My partner and I purchased this house in October 1991. At the time we purchased the house, it was in extreme disrepair. we have been informed by knowledgeable sources that in another couple of years, this house would be beyond repair. In addition, the reaction to our improvements from those living in the neighborhood has been overwhelmingly positive. Our intentions were to rehabilitate the house and offer it for sale as early as possible in 1992. Although we were not familiar with the requirements of the Historic Preservation Commission, we had hoped to preserve as much as possible the original look and feel of the house. As our work progressed, it became apparent that one window at the rear of the house (and not visible from the street), was beyond repair. Because -this window was part of a later addition (not part of the original structure) and because the window was not visible from the street, we opted for a decorative window to enhance the view from the inside of the house. When Mr. Pastor called to check in with us, I told him about the -.window. Although we have unwittingly breached the procedures of the Historic Preservation Commission by not asking for permission in advancei, we have operated in good faith and with.the best of intentions. Because of the extreme deterioration of the house, we have already spent over $12,000 on repairs. Unfortunately, we will have to spend many thousand more. We simply cannot