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3302 W. WESTERN HISTORICAL CONTEXT By the 1920's South Bend's west side was booming, which was quickly leading to overcrowding in the existing schools. The construction of Harrison School in 1926- 1927 provided the needed space for the anticipated growth of the student population. This Freyermuth and Maurer designed school building became the 24`h school in the South Bend school system. Classes were first held in the fall of 1927 and were designed to accommodate 500 students. The building originally consisted of 13 classrooms, gym, auditorium, library, art room, music room and science rooms. The total cost of the project was $250,000.00. To provide for future expansion only 2/3 of the proposed design was initially constructed. The option to expand was not exercised until 1948 with the construction of a four -room addition and again in 1951 with the addition of another eight rooms, which were designed by Andrew Toth. Even with the expansions the school was hopelessly overcrowded, the enrollment had tripled since 1946. When Harrison originally opened it was located on the western edge of town, but by 1953 it was surrounded by 3000 new homes, all built since the end of World War II. In 1956 the school had the distinction of being the most overcrowded in the city with an enrollment of 1400 and a capacity of 900. The problem was solved by splitting the classes into two half-day sections of three and one-half hours each. Also in 1956, Pierre Navarre School was being constructed at 4702 Ford to help relieve the problem. In 1963 the school system spent $500,000.00 to remodel the existing structure and to add_a new-gymnasium.—To-this-day the school still serves the west side residents. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This is a two-story, irregular plan, school building with a stone foundation and multiple additions added at various times from 1940's to the 1960's. The walls are made of brown brick with cut stone accents, carved medallions below parapet. The original building is small and gabled with bracketed eaves and Flemish gable parapets. The central block is flat, with stone parapet cap and a tall polygonal stack rises from rear with stone accents around the top. The original building has trios of windows of 6/6 double - hung and three part windows. The newer central section has coursed 8/8 double -hung windows. The main entry has an Art Deco influence and consists of two, two -leaf doors recessed into the bottom of a pilastered limestone -block wall. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Landmark Criteria's adopted by the Common Council, the site and structure at 3302 W. Western has been recommended to the Common Council for designation as a Local Landmark by the Historic Preservation Commission. The building and site meet three of the criteria: 4