January 1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

f. .. � ..• • January 19, 1996 County Commissioners St. Joseph County 700 County -City Building South Bend, Indiana re: State of the County 1995 Honorable Commissioners, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to inform the County Board of Commissioners regarding the activities of the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) during the 1995 calender year and our anticipated projects for the coming year. You will find attached, a copy of the 1994-1995 Certified Local Government (CLG) report which our office has filed with the Department of Natural Resources - Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DNR-DHPA). The CLG/DHPA calender runs from October to September and therefore varies somewhat from the regular calender year; but this report gives an overview of the CLG activities through September of the past year. I.. :s, --.__z- d,, ,: ibud Ili ulli. L"rVTC,Vring last calender year, the HPC and its staff received and reviewed sixty-nine applications requesting Certificate of Appropriateness for construction (or demolition) activity at local landmarks and in local historic districts. Of these, sixty-two received full approval, five were patially approved, two were • denied. A portion of one of the partially approved applications remains tabled. One approved application with which we are very pleased is the rehabilitation of the historic street lighting in the Riverside Drive Local Historic District which has been undertaken by the City of South Bend Department of Public Works. During 1995, the former Stephenson Underwear Mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Four new Local Landmarks were established, the Birdsell-Nimtz Building, former Monarch Publishing building, and two historic street lights in the Harter Heights area. The commission also worked with the Lincolnway West Business Association in developing the standards and guidlines for a Lincolnway West Local Historic District for which they have made application. An additional landmark has been proposed to encompass the historic features of Leeper Park. The commission has also worked with a local developer to assure the maintenance of the Frame family burial site as a residential subdivision is developed on this land. During this year our community has seen the completion and occupancy of two important adaptive re -use projects utilizing Historic Preservation Investment Tax Credits which converted abandoned buildings for new housing use at Central High School and the former Stephenson Underwear Mill. Progress continues on the rehabilitation of the old Darden Bridge for bicycle and pedestrian traffic utilizing ISTEA funding for historic preservation enhancements from the Department of Transportation. A proposal has also been accepted by the South Bend School Corporation for the adaptive re -use of the Oliver School Local • Landmark as a private arts academy.