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STAFF REPORT PROPOSED CUSHING STREET LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT: CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION AND HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend 8z St. Joseph County The Historic Preservation Commission held first reading of a proposal to designate this neighborhood as a Local Historic Preservation District at its regular meeting of February 16, 1999. The area proposed was bounded by Portage Avenue to the North, Lindsey Street to the South, including all of the properties located on the east side and west side of Cushing Street. It also included all the properties on the west side of Portage Avenue between Cushing and Van Buren, properties along the north and south side of Van Buren, Pierce, and the north side of Lindsey Street. The Historic Preservation Commission subsequently held a second reading, (public hearing), to discuss the Cushing Street proposed local historic district at its regular meeting of March 16, 1999. During this meeting the Commission decided to enlarge the proposed district to include most of Cushing Streets 500 and 600 block. The Commission moved to hold a second public hearing on April 19, 1999 to discuss the expansion. The total proposed area is bounded by Portage Avenue to the North and by an east/west alley just north of Lincolnway West to the south. The proposed district also includes all properties on the east and west side of Cushing, the properties on the west side of Portage Avenue between Cushing and Van Buren, as well as properties located on the North and South side of Van Buren and Lindsey Street. The district is bounded by the north /south alley's between Cushing and Cottage Grove and Cushing and Scott Streets. The new proposed district contains 70 primary structures consisting of mostly single family or duplex residential structures, a church and a hand full of commercial structures. There are also numerous ancillary structures including garages, sheds and other buildings. The HPC staff has been analyzing the proposal according to the responsibilities mandated by ordinance that state that the "designation of ...Historic Preservation Districts" should be "on the basis of historical and cultural significance, educational value and suitability for preservation. [I ] In addition, HPC policy adds a fourth criteria — evaluation with respect to an area's "portrayal of the environment of a group of people in an historical era." [2] This analysis has also included an update of the numerical count of the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Survey, specifically assessing the number of remaining contributing and noncontributing structures in the area. Research relevant to the historical development of the area has also been conducted.[3]