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CITY OF SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING – December 11, 2025 <br /> <br />Page | 3 <br /> <br />5. New Business <br />A. River West Development Area <br />1. Approval of Request for Proposal (State Theatre) <br />Erin Michaels, Property Development Manager, presented the Request <br />for Proposal (RFP) for the former State Theatre. Ms. Michaels gave a site <br />overview with nearby amenities which include. <br />• Main Wayne Parking Garage (1 block away, city-owned) <br />• City Hall Parking Garage (1 block away, city-owned) <br />• Dainty Maid Food Hall (across the street) <br />• Grand Leader Boutique Hotel (under development) <br /> <br />The State Theatre was acquired by the Commission in May 2025. Built in <br />1919, it is one of the few remaining historic theaters in the city. The <br />building includes four storefront spaces, a theater lobby and auditorium, <br />and office space on the second floor. However, after more than a decade <br />of disinvestment, the property requires complete interior rehabilitation. <br />All seats have been removed from the auditorium, and significant <br />upgrades are needed throughout. The structure offers approximately <br />42,000 square feet of usable space, is zoned DT Downtown, and is <br />located in the Michigan Street Corridor. <br /> <br />The focus of the Request for Proposal (RFP) is to establish a public- <br />private partnership for a full rehabilitation of the existing building. This <br />will not be a simple sale; the city intends to remain involved due to the <br />complexity and historic nature of the project. The RFP packet will <br />include submission and project requirements, evaluation criteria, and <br />process details, and all proposals must comply with DT Downtown <br />zoning regulations. <br /> <br />If approved, the RFP will be released today. Proposals are due by April 9, <br />2026, with interviews scheduled between April 13 and May 29, 2026. <br />Following interviews, staff will review submissions and provide a <br />recommendation to the Commission on June 11, 2026. <br /> <br />Upon a motion by Eli Wax for approval, seconded by Gillian Shaw, the <br />motion carried unanimously; the Commission approved the Request as <br />presented on December 11, 2025. <br /> <br />2. First Amendment to Development Agreement (Liberty Tower) <br />Joseph Molnar, Assistant Director of Growth and Opportunity, <br />presented a First Amendment to the development agreement for Liberty <br />Tower, the tallest building downtown. The original agreement, approved <br />in April 2023 by the Redevelopment Commission, called for renovating <br />the top floors into apartments, improving the parking garage, and