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STUDEBAKER-RAILROAD CORRIDOR HISTORIC DISTRICT <br />Narrative Description Summary Paragraph <br />The Studebaker -Railroad Corridor Historic District is an area on the City of South Bend's <br />near south side composed of the extant buildings of the one-time massive Studebaker <br />Corporation's manufacturing campus as well as the city's railroad depots that were <br />heavily relied upon in the distribution of Studebaker's products. The district is largely <br />industrial in nature, though not all of the buildings were used for manufacturing. Three <br />buildings, all connected to each other, are the extant manufacturing buildings of the <br />Studebaker Corporation. The largest is six stories in height and over 500' in length. The <br />other three buildings include the Studebaker Corporation's four-story administration <br />building that occupies a half block, and Union Station and the Vandalia Railroad Depot, <br />which are adjacent to the Studebaker manufacturing campus. The Grand Trunk Western <br />Railroad cuts through the north end of the district. <br />Narrative Description <br />Streets form the boundaries to the district on its east, north, and west sides. A paved alley <br />forms the south boundary and divides the block between the Grand Trunk Western <br />Railroad, which cuts through the north end of the district, and Sample Street. Lafayette <br />Boulevard is a major arterial street that creates a boundary for part of the district, but also <br />bisects the district between the manufacturing buildings and the administration building. <br />Similarly, the Grand Trunk Western Railroad forms the north boundary, north of the <br />administration building, but also bisects the district between Union Station on its north <br />side and the manufacturing buildings on its south side. When the Grand Trunk Western <br />Railroad bed was elevated in the late 1920s, several viaducts were created for streets to <br />pass under the railroad. The viaducts all fall outside of the district boundaries, though <br />visually they provide context to the presence the railroad had in the district. <br />The six buildings that comprise the district are composed of brick with stone trim or <br />concrete structural frames. Five of the six buildings are considered contributing and date <br />to 1905 through 1945. One building, constructed in c. 1950 as part of the Studebaker <br />assembly process, is considered non-contributing due to alterations that have occurred on <br />the building. These include a new addition to its southwest corner and new metal on its <br />second floor walls. Each of the buildings' exteriors is described below, as well as certain <br />important interior features. <br />Complete list of resources in the district: <br />Union Station; 362 South Street; Art Deco; 1929. <br />Contributing. <br />Fellheimer & Wagner, architects. <br />The building fronts South Street on its north side and backs up to the Grand Trunk <br />Western Railroad on its south side. The building has a large barrel-vaulted hall with two <br />story extensions on its east, west, and south sides. The building's walls are composed of <br />tan -colored bricks. The barrel-vaulted roof is covered with metal. <br />