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• CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS STAFF REPORT PROPERTY -- 115 N. St. James Court (317 West Washington) South Bend, IN 46601 OWNER -- Stephenson Mill Associates Limited Partnership DESIGNATION -- Local Landmark; National Register MRA STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT Built between the years 1911-1913 South Bend High School,renamed Central High School in 1920, has been variously described as "prairie style", "collegiate gothic", and "neo-classical". Whatever its style it has been an architectural linchpin of downtown South Bend since it's construction some 80 years ago. In 1987 the building received an 0/13 rating on the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. The condition of the building was considered good and its facades unaltered. The foundation is of dressed stone. The facades are of cut limestone and brick. There are brick pilasters with carved decorative stone capitals. The stairs are cut stone on the side entrances and cement at the front entrance. The roof line features a parapet, stone lined crenelations and a cut stone cornice line. Over the main door is a carved stone balcony. The windows are tri -part double hung sash 2/4, four part transom, vent in middle, stone panel below 2nd and 3rd floor, stone sills and flat head joints. The doors (side) cut stone surrounds and lintels, carved stone transom, glass transom, narrow side lights, double panel glazed doors. The site which Central High School occupies has been since the early history of South Bend the home of public higher education. After a negotiated land sale in the 1820's the County Seminary was built on the site in 1845. In 1872 that building was razed in order to build a new high school at the same location. In 1913 the current building was opened as South Bend High School. PROPOSED CHANGE The proposed changes are detailed in the plans provided by the Alexander Company. It should be noted that all such changes are to "be conducted in srict accordance with the Standards and Guidelines for Historic Preservation as set forth by the Secretary of the Interior and the National Park Service." The above statement is taken from the Development Overview provided to the HPC by the Alexander Company. STANDARDS The Standards state that maintenance (Group B, A) "shall in no way involve any direct physical change except for the general cleaning and upkeep of the landmark." B. "Treatment shall be defined as any change of surface materials that will not alter the style or original form." C. "Renovation is the modification of a structure which does not alter the general massing while an addition is a change in mass." • C.1 "Necessary structural improvements, where safety demands should be accomplished in such a way as to cause minimal visual change to the original style and construction." C.2 "All work should be done in the architectural style and in a technique compatible with that of the original structure."