2004 Annual Report - Community & Economic Development

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COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTTEE REPORT FOR 2004. THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HELD A TOTAL OF 20 COMMITTEE MEETINGS DURING 2004. THE COMMITTEE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THE NAMING OF SHARON KENDALL AS DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SHE SUCCEEDS THE LATE JON HUNT. SOME MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS HIGHLIGHTED THE YEAR'S ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMMITTEE AND THE DEPARTMENT. AMONG THEM WAS THE CONSTRUCTION, DEDICATION AND OPENING OF THE A.J. WRIGHT DISTRIBUTION FACILITY. WHEN OPERATIONS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, 800 NEW JOBS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR SOUTH BEND'S WORK FORCE. WORK CONTINUED UNABATED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MAJOR RETAIL COMPLEX IN THE IRELAND ROAD AREA ON SOUTH BEND'S SOUTH SIDE. THE SCOTTSDALE MALL WAS DEMOLISED TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW RETAIL ENTITIES. A NEW TARGET STORE HAS BEEN BUILT AND NEW RESTAURANTS ARE BEING PLANNED AND BUILT WEST OF MICHIGAN STREET, ON IRELAND, ANOTHER MAJOR RETAIL FACILITY IS PLANNED. THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS SEEING RENOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT. THE VINE RESTAURANT HAS MOVED TO THE PALAIS ROYALE AREA. THE SOUTH BEND CHOCOLATE COMPANY HAS MOVED INTO THE PREVIOUS VINE LOCATION. SOUTH BEND CHOCOLATE COMPANY OWNER MARK TARNER HAS PROPOSED TAKING OVER THE ENTIRE 100 SOUTH MICHIGAN BLOCK CREATE MORE RETAIL OUTLETS AS WELL AS APARTMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THE CITY IS CONSIDERING TARNER'S PROPOSAL. THE COMMITTEE APPROVED APPROXIMATELY 60 TAX ABATEMENTS IN 2004 TOTALLING OVER$60 MILLION IN NEW CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT AND PROVIDING SEVERAL HUNDRED NEW JOBS FOR SOUTH BEND'S WORK FORCE. THE COMMITTEE MET WITH SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES OF COMPANIES WHO DID NOT MEET THE CRITIERIA SPECIFIED IN APPLICATIONS FOR TAX ABATEMENT. THE COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AND MAKE A JUDGEMENT ON CONTINUING THE ABATEMENT IN EARLY 2005, RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Filed In Clerk's Office ROLAND KELLY, CHAIR tl; 1 0 2004 JOHN VOORDE CITY CLEK,SO.BEND,IN.