October 2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Nov 26 2007 8:25RM November 23, 2007 Preferred Finishing, Inc. am NATIONAL TRUST f-HIs,romc PREsnvAnom City of South Bond Common Council 227 W. Jefferson South Bend, Indiana 46601 Re: Support for Designation of Marquette School Dear Council Members, (574).289-1917 P•1 I am writing todayto urge your approval of the designation of Marquette School as a local landmark under the historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County and to urge its continued use as a neighborhood school. There is no question that Marquette School is an important historic resource which deserves to be landmarked by the City of South Bend. Its unique architectural composition, with elements of the Collegiate Gothic style and a very strong Art Deco influence, along with the building's connection with the Public Works Administration has resulted in the building's "Outstanding" rating in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures inventory. That, along with the State Historic Preservation Office's determination ofNational Register eligibility is a strong mandate ,for its historic designation locally. The Nacional Trust for Historic Preservation has been tracking the endangered nature of historic schools for the past decade. We advocate the preservation of historic schools because over time we have learned many lessons related to the adaptability and longevity of these structures. We believe they offer cultural continuity, traditional irreplaceable amenities, and time and again we find renovation a cost effective option versus the cost of new construction. We understand that the South Bend Community School Corporation has a responsibility to ensure that any funds spent on schools will provide students with the best quality facilities at the most reasonable cost. The National Trust hopes that the Community School Corporation will seriously investigate alternatives for the Marquette School's rehabilitation that will preserve the historic school while making upgrades and additions to ensure facilities of the highest quality for South Bend's students. People often argue that it is too expensive to renovate older schools — that it is chcaper to just start over. While each school has its own set of conditions that must be carefully evaluated to establish Pretadng the Irreplaceable MIDWEST OFFICE (312) 939-SS47 - FAX (312) 939-5651 - http:/fwwmnationaltrusr-org 53 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 350, Chicago, IL 60604 Serving: IL, IN, IA. MI. W,, M0, OR& w1 N t