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<br />REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 29 1977
<br />REGULAR MEETING RECONVENED (CONTINUED
<br />9. That in order to implement and facilitate the effectuation of the Urban Renewal Plan,
<br />as amended, and said.revisions and plan changes hereby approved, it is found and
<br />determined that certain official action must be taken by this Governing Body with re-
<br />ference, among other things, to changes in zoning, the vacating and removal of streets,
<br />alleys, and other public ways, the establishment of new street patterns, the location
<br />and relocation of.sewer and water mains and other public facilities, and other public
<br />action, and accordingly, this Body hereby (a) pledges its cooperation in helping to
<br />carry out such Urban Renewal Plan as amended by those certain pages presented at this
<br />meeting; (b) request the various officials, departments, boards, and agencies of the
<br />City having administrative responsibilities in the premises likewise to cooperate to
<br />such end and to exercise their respective functions and powers in a manner consistent
<br />with said Urban Renewal Plan, as amended, and by those certain pages presented at this
<br />meeting; and (c) stands ready to consider and take appropriate action upon proposals
<br />and measures designed to effectuate said Urban Renewal Plan, as amended, and by those
<br />certain pages presented at this meeting.
<br />10. That additional financial assistance under the provisions of Title I of the Housing
<br />Act of 1949, as amended, may be necessary to enable the land in the Project Area to
<br />be renewed in accordance with the Urban Renewal Plan, as amended, and said revisions
<br />and plan changes for the Project Area and, accordingly, the filing by the Local Public
<br />Agency of an application or applications forsuch financial assistance under said Title
<br />I is hereby approved.
<br />11. Redevelopment shall submit to the Common Council for approval, a detailed listing of
<br />the expenditure of any grant money received for expenditure in the project area.
<br />/s /Roger 0. Parent
<br />Member of the Common Council
<br />A public hearing was held at this time on the resolution. Mayor Peter J. Nemeth, said this
<br />resolution approves the urban renewal plan for the Century Mall. He said the assessed valuation
<br />of the downtown area has increased, with the new construction that has taken place. He said
<br />we have had some flight from the City, as retailers have been heading to the suburbs. He read
<br />a list of all of the retail stores that have left the downtown area. He said Urban Observatory
<br />did a study which revealed that 76.50 of the people in South Bend think an attractive downtown
<br />is important; 87% agree that downtown South Bend needs new businesses. He said national firms
<br />are not interested in downtowns. He said parking and lack of stores were the two reasons people
<br />would not come downtown. He indicated that retailers do not want to come downtown, they will
<br />come if you offer competative rates. He said in regard to the proposed Century Mall the-City
<br />would provide the common area, make the,site ready and provide parking. He said the developers
<br />have indicated they would like seven hundred parking spaces. He said he felt that the fact that
<br />local people were willing to invest their own money in our downtown was a credit to the City.
<br />He said this development would create 270 jobs in the mall. He said the assessed valuation of
<br />all properties, excluding the Sherland Building and the City parking garage, is $711,320, which
<br />bring in an annual revenue of $66,470. The private investment is at least 4.5 million, which
<br />is double the assessment._ - Ms. Barbara Schankerman, 1615 Rockne Dr., presented a petition with
<br />approximately 450 signatures against the needless demolition and for the preservation of the
<br />Odd Fellows Building. She then read a four page statement regarding this proposed project. Mr.
<br />Joseph D. Anderson, attorney, and partner in the 104 S. Main Street Venture, the owners of the
<br />Odd Fellows Building, indicated that when they purchased this building it was lauded as an ex-
<br />pression of confidence in the downtown area. He said before they purchased the building they
<br />made sure it was not on the R66 acquisition list. He said they are not selling this building.
<br />He said this matter will be tied up in the courts for an infinity. Mr. Chris Overguaard, 1958
<br />Briarway, indicated that he was a tenant in the Odd Fellows Building and it did not make good
<br />sense to tear down a sound building. Mrs. Jane Swan, 2022 Swygart, indicated she would like to
<br />know if a letter of intent was binding. She said she would like to know what commitment.the.
<br />City will have to make to the developers. She indicated that the resolution stated that the
<br />buildings in the proposed area were substandard. She asked if the City was allowing substandard
<br />buildings to remain, and if so, the City has been shirking its responsibilities. Mr. Douglas
<br />Kline, 63551 Miami Road, President of Powers Drugs, indicated he did not appreciate receiving
<br />information that his .store was to be torn down, through the newspaper. He said he was never
<br />contacted to be a part of the mall. He asked where these stores will go if they have to be
<br />relocated. Mr. Edgar Wertheimer, of Newman's, indicated he did not challenge the concept of
<br />the mall, but he thought the merchants should have some protection. Mr. Richard Doyle, 720
<br />Park Avenue, an attorney in the Odd Fellows Building, as well as a State Representative, indicat,
<br />he believed this program to be fundamentally unsound to the City.
<br />Council Member Kopczynski made a motion to recess, seconded by Council Member Adams. The motion
<br />carried and the meeting was recessed at 8:25 p.m., and reconvended at 8:36 p.m.
<br />Mrs. Edith Hawley, owner of Jefferson Book Store, spoke against the mall. She indicated she had
<br />not been approached by the developers to go into the Mall. Mr. Kenneth Peczkowski, owner of
<br />Griffon Book Store, spoke against the proposed mall. He indicated that none of the small busine
<br />have been contacted. He indicated that other countries have discovered that business can operat
<br />from old buildings and it is not necessary to have a controlled atmosphere. Mr. T. Brooks
<br />- Brademas, 1614 Devon Circle, spoke againstthe Century Mall. He indicated that high -rise buildin
<br />should be put downtown to make better use of the land. He indicated he had successfully develop
<br />a thriving mall in old buildings. Ms. Patricia Hughes, 1714 E. LaSalle, manager of Lane Bryant
<br />store, indicated she was concerned about the small business.. She urged the Council to think thi
<br />matter over very carefully. Mrs. Angela Berg, 1730 Stocker Place, indicated serious thought
<br />should be given to the renovation of existing buildings. Council President Parent indicated he
<br />did not adhere to the policy of tearing down. He said the City was at the end process of a
<br />policy of tearing down without any kind of commitment. He said the Council wasnot being asked
<br />tonight to tear down any business. He said they were being asked to give their approval to
<br />continue working on the idea of Century Mall. Council Member Miller indicated the Council-__and
<br />the Administration does not have all of the answers, but they have to proceed with some plan
<br />for the downtown area. He said he strongly supported the affect expressed in this resolution.
<br />Council Member Dombrowski indicated that approval of this resolution was to only obtain Federal
<br />funds from HUD for continuation of downtown redevelopment and this does not commit the approval
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