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STAFF REPORT PROPOSED CUSHING STREET LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT: CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION AND HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend 81 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 proposed area is 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 includes all the properties on the west side of Portage Avenue between Cushing and Van Buren, properties along the north and south south side of Van Buren, Pierce, and the north side of Lindsey Street. The proposed district contains 44 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. [ 1 ] 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] RECOMMENDATION [4] It is the HPC Staff's opinion that this area warrants designation as a Local Historic District. The rationale for this recommendation is based on the following conclusion: 1. The proposed area fulfills the basic criteria relevant to the established of a Local Historic District as mandated by city ordinance and HPC policy; 2. The proposed area fulfills the generally accepted criteria for local historic designation used by this and other commissions; 3. The proposed area contains a manageable number of structures that could be adequately administered with present staffing. 1