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Beman was just twenty-seven years old, although a seasoned <br />architect, when he took on this immense project., The town that <br />resulted was two -and -a -half by one-half miles in size. He <br />designed the broad range of buildings necessary for- the <br />development of a manufacturing town including factories, <br />residences and community structures. By April, 1882 over five <br />million dollars and three million bricks had been expended on the <br />town. <br />Beman's design for Pullman was intended to be primarily <br />functional. He eclectically chose from the broad range of styles <br />and influences typical to his time and tried no innovative plans. <br />The end result was considered "competent and credible" by his <br />contemporaries.[12] He continued this borrowing of historic <br />styles with his use of Renaissance ideas in the design of the <br />Studebaker Building. It too is an attractive and functional <br />building that is stylistically conservative, relative to its <br />time, serving to fulfill its intended function and exude an air <br />of quiet authority. <br />Beman went on to design many other buildings for Pullman as well <br />as the Proctor and Gamble factories in Cincinnati, the <br />Connecticut State Capitol and many other structures throughout <br />the country. Beman also designed the South Bend Y.M.C.A. (1908) <br />that was donated to the city by the Studebaker firm. It, <br />unfortunately, no longer exists. The Administration building <br />remains as the single local example of this important architect's <br />body of work. <br />Fred M. Holycross <br />Historic Preservation Commission <br />April, 1992 <br />