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STAFF REPORT: JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY HIGH SCHOOL Fred M. Holycross Director June, 1992 At the May 18, 1992 HPC meeting, a proposal was submitted by a group of residents on the southeast side of South Bend asking for the HPC's recommendation to the South Bend Common Council for the designation of Riley High School as a Local Historic Landmark. At that meeting the HPC announced the proposal with a First Reading; a Public Hearing concerning the matter will take place at the June 15, 1992 HPC meeting. The issue of the future of Riley High School has generated a great deal of controversy; the HPC has been asked to intervene by recommending the protection of this structure through the landmark process. In order to forestall accusations of bias, the landmark decision should be made "outside" of the controversy; this report is an effort to analyze the issue strictly from the preservation and historical perspective. Riley High School is a good example of the Collegiate Gothic style. It was designed by local architects Ennis R. Austin and Norman Roy Shambleau, one of many significant examples of their work remaining in the area. Riley was rated as a S-12 on the 1979 Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Survey. The building, however, has undergone major alterations -- a series of additions have been attached to the building on its rear (the north side) including a three-story classroom addition and a gymnasium. The original facade (1924) remains essentially intact on the front (south) and the east and west sides of the structure. This facade, of brick and carved stone with large decorative spandrels, polychrome brickwork and other decorative details, is the portion of the building -- the "significant historic fabric" -- that should be of the greatest concern from the HPC's perspective. It should be noted that the facade has been tuck -pointed at some time in the recent past. Unfortunately, the tuck -pointing was done in a sloppy manner; insufficient attention was paid to removing excess mortar and matching the shape of the original joint, consequently the facade's original appearance has been seriously degraded. As part of the evaluation of this school structure, the building should be compared with the city's other educational buildings. Historically it is neither of greater nor lesser importance in relation to other early -twentieth century schools in the city. The school should be seen as an example of the general move toward the modernization of educational facilities early in this century -- a process that included all areas of this city and was also occurring throughout the country in the period. Riley in 1