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CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: February 13, 2017 Application Number: 2017-0213B Property Location: Leeper Park West Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: Park/George Kessler Property Owner: City of South Bend Landmark or District Designation: National Register Historic Designed Landscape Landmark Rating: Local Landmark DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/ SITE: Leeper Park is a designed landscape located north of the commercial and medical district of South Bend and divided by Michigan Street (US 33). Leeper Park West is bordered by Riverside Drive along the St. Joseph River, Park Lane to the South, Lafayette to the West, the bluff of Chapin Park to the extreme West and Michigan Street to the East. It is part of the 1911-1915 Parks and Boulevard system designed for South Bend by George Kessler. ALTERATIONS: The duck pond was restored in 1979. The formal gardens were grown over in the 1980s. The playground equipment is not original to the Park. A Parking Lot south of the Tennis Center was added during the Madison School renovation along with lighting without COA. The tennis courts were replaced in 2007 and the "odor garden" was installed in 2008. New Playground equipment was installed 2013. A garden for vegetables, flowers and fruit trees was established by Madison Primary Center in 2015. APPLICATION ITEMS: New public ADA accessible formal labyrinth garden with an emphasis on restorative health and meditation in existing open space of Leeper Park with interpretive, education signage and benches. See Attached. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: Addition to the park of a therapeutic, ADA accessible contemplation garden labyrinth. The design for the circuitous labyrinth path at the center of the garden, a 40'-0" diameter area, will be surrounded by a perimeter of lavender plants. Additional plantings around the labyrinth core will include ornamental plants, annuals, perennials, and grasses. At the maximum extent, an 80'-0" diameter circle outer concrete walkway will be provided blanked on either edge with more lavender. A standard non -slip, all-weather surface of stained or colored concrete path will be provided for access by all users. See attached Concrete Coloring Summary. Exact location will be based on professional survey, with major axis of walks to correspond with the center line of Main Street, and outer radius of the pathways to be a minimum of 10'-0" setback from duck pond perimeter walk. Auxiliary connector walks to other areas of the park may be provided in the future and are not part of this project. Proposed access walks, meeting City of South Bend design standards, will connect the Labyrinth Garden from the adjacent edge of Park Lane and lead directly to the new garden and will also be planted with lavender edging and trees. Benches matching the current style and materials of adjacent parks will be provided, as well as an interpretive educational sign/marker. Waiting on confirmation of tree removal from City Forester, Brent Thompson. STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES Leeper Park Standards and Criteria Landscapes: 9.1 Introduction 3. The standards and criteria acknowledge that there will be changes to the landscape and are intended to make the changes sensitive to the historic character of the landscape. 5. Since it is not possible to provide one general guideline, the following factors that will be considered in determining whether a later addition(s) can, or should, be removed include: a) Compatibility with the original property's integrity in scale, materials and character. b) Historic association with the property. c) Quality in design and execution of the addition/alteration. d) Functional usefulness. Labyrinth: 9.4 Vegetation 3 Alteration of existing or addition of new vegetation materials and features will be considered if they do not alter the basic concept of the historic landscape design. 9. Maintenance of, removal of, and additions of vegetation materials and features should consider maintaining existing or intended vistas and spaces, screening instructions, creating new spaces where appropriate and maintaining defined areas of shade and sun. Walk: 9.5 Circulation 4. When replacement of circulation layouts is necessary, it should be based on physical or documentary evidence. 8. Alteration of existing or addition of new circulation materials and features will be considered if they do not alter the basic concept of the historic landscape design. Benches: 9.7 Furnishings and Objects 4. Alteration of existing or addition of new furnishings and objects will be considered if the alteration does not alter the basic concept of the historic landscape design. 8. New furnishings and objects should be designed using vandal resistant standards. 9. Location of signs shall be guided by a master plan. 10. Signs shall conform to a simple sign system. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Kesler's 1915 plan shows a garden in this location, and Leeper Park drawings through 1998 confirm a round formal garden continued to exist here. As the proposed labyrinth will to some extent replace an original feature of the park, staff recommends approval. Elicia Feasel, Executive Director Deb Parcell, Deputy Director rd