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be removed. However, trees and plant materials that must be removed should be immediately replaced by suitable flora. Front yard areas <br />should not be fenced except in cases where historic documentation would indicate such fencing appropriate. Fencing should be in <br />character with the buildings style, materials, and scale. <br /> <br />3. Prohibited <br />No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing major landscaping items, trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings, and <br />other elements before evaluating their importance to the property’s history and development. Front yard areas shall not be transformed into <br />parking lots nor paved nor blacktopped. The installation of unsightly devices such as TV reception dishes and solar collectors shall not be <br />permitted in areas where they can be viewed from public thoroughfares. <br /> <br />Appendix A: <br />Minimum Maintenance Standards <br />All landmarks and all contributing structures located in an historic district shall be preserved from decay and deterioration, and shall be <br />maintained in good repair and kept structurally sound. The owner or other person having charge or control of landmarks and property in an <br />historic district shall not allow or permit deterioration of such property from defects or conditions which in the judgment of the Commission <br />produce a detrimental effect on the character of the district as a whole or the life and character of the landmark, structure or property in <br />question, including but not limited to: <br /> <br />a. Deterioration of exterior walls or other vertical supports causing conditions such as splitting, leaning, buckling, crumbling, visible <br />cracking or similar conditions; <br />b. Deterioration of roofs or other horizontal members causing conditions such as sagging, splitting, buckling, crumbling, holes, <br />missing shingles or similar conditions; <br />c. Deterioration of external chimneys causing such conditions as listing, settling, bulging, crumbling, holes, loose or missing materials <br />or similar conditions; <br />d. The deterioration or crumbling of exterior plasters or mortar; <br />e. The ineffective waterproofing of exterior walls, roof and foundations, including broken windows or doors; <br />f. The peeling of paint, rotting, holes and other forms of decay; <br />g. The lack of maintenance of surrounding environments such as fences, gates, sidewalks, steps, signs, accessory structures and <br />landscaping; <br />h. The deterioration of any feature so as to create or permit the creation of any hazardous or unsafe condition or conditions. <br /> <br />The Commission shall give notice by certified or registered mail of each specific instance of failure to maintain or repair. The owner or <br />person in charge of such structure shall have twenty (20) days to respond in writing by identifying specifically the corrective and remedial <br />steps to be taken. A certificate of appropriates shall not be required for such repair unless such repair results in a conspicuous change in the <br />design, form, proportion, mass, configuration, building material, texture, color, location. Or external visual appearance of any structure or <br />part thereof. In the latter circumstance, a certificate of appropriateness shall be required. <br /> <br />SITE VISIT REPORT: Staff have conducted a number of visits to the area to document the condition of the <br />property. The structures on the site exhibit considerable masonry failure and roof deterioration, both indicative of <br />deferred maintenance. Masonry failure is evident in multiple areas, with loose, dislodged, or missing bricks <br />documented in file photos of the site. The tall ‘tower’ structure nearest to the intersection of Lincoln Way West and <br />College Avenue exhibits a large ‘separation crack’ running up the seam of the west and south walls. The southern <br />wall of this section is missing much of the exterior wythe of bricks, possibly due to inappropriate mortar repairs <br />being executed previously. Staff have considerable concerns that the west face of the tower may sheer away/off <br />based upon the conditions of the exterior masonry and cracks that are apparent. Bricks found in the right of way <br />led to the closure of College Avenue between Lincoln Way West and Rupel Street. The rear additions to the main <br />structure (formerly the “packing cooler,” “washing room,” and power generation areas of the Brewery complex) <br />have compromised roof systems. The wall between the “packing cooler” and “washing room” has failed <br />extensively closest to College Avenue. Staff would conservatively estimate that brick stabilization and repair would <br />cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. <br /> <br />STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The scale and cost of the rehabilitation of this structure is exceedingly large. <br />Deferred maintenance has led to structural failure of the roof and walls of the rear buildings and concerns for <br />masonry elements on the main tower. Multiple City of South Bend Departments have indicated that the structure <br />poses a threat to public safety, including but not limited to the imminent threat of failure of the tower structure into <br />the right-of-way of College Avenue. Staff request that extensive documentation of the structure be collected in <br />advance of and during the demolition process (in accordance with the “Demolition” requirements of the Group B <br />Standards and Guidelines). Staff recommends approval. <br /> <br />Prepared by <br />Adam Toering, Historic Preservation Administrator