January 2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION PRESERVATION SPECIALIST REPORT January 28, 2013 Happy New Year HPC! This has been a surprisingly busy year already, we have seen the weather roller -coaster, the local team fall a little short, and unfortunately we have seen a rash of vacant and abandoned properties damaged and even burned. Last year we saw the Taylor's Field historical district vandalized and properties left in ruin and one even burned by half. Two weekends ago we saw the church in the corner of South and S St Joseph Streets had a fire in the mechanical room as someone broke in and started a campfire. This was four days after the boarding crew boarded the doors and several of the windows. Luckily, the fire was limited to the brick lined room and did more smoke damage than anything else. This weekend I saw a light on in the vacant house at 417 Navarre. I walked around the house, followed the footprints, and saw where someone got into the window. This house was just finally boarded up two weeks ago. I called the police, they came out looked around and couldn't find anything so they left. I have tried on numerous occasions to turn the above properties into code enforcement. The problem is simple, without the owner's permission we cannot put up a NO TRESPASSING sign and without that sign, the police cannot arrest someone unless they catch them actually breaking in. The vacant and abandoned task force is trying to either create a land bank or simply make those properties available for non for profits like NNN or South Bend Heritage Foundation. The church that just had a fire is owned by River of Life church a non for profit that well... simply does not have the time or desire to take care of this property. There are four other vacant houses in Taylor's Field that are under the scrutiny of Code, those are owned by Renew, Inc. another church. On a more pleasant note, the workshop schedule moves along with great progress! We have secured some sponsors, still working on others. Please see the attached Restore Michiana flyer. This is just still in draft form and we hope to have even more of the details solidified. Hill's True Value has agreed to provide the products we need that they carry and Ginger Valley should be able to send a representative with the items they are donating as well. We were able to save the ticket booth from the Avon Theater and it is currently in the State Theater's lobby awaiting some redesign and rebuilding. That is most welcome news and will at least keep the name of the Avon alive. Steve Szaday Preservation Specialist