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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting -September 19, 2008 <br />6. NEW BUSINESS (CONT.) <br />C. Airport Economic Development Area <br />(3) continued... <br />Ms. Rink, LaSalle Area Neighborhood <br />Association, said she agrees. Twenty years is <br />just way too long to wait. <br />Ms. Latner said she's from Chicago and has <br />seen plans like this work there. She moved <br />back to the west side of South Bend because <br />she wants to be a part of what's going to <br />happen there. <br />Mr. Smith said he noticed that as the LaSalle <br />Square shopping center deteriorated, housing <br />nearby deteriorated, too. He hopes as the <br />shopping area improves, there will also be <br />spillover improvements in nearby housing. <br />Mr. Wolfson asked whether the <br />recommended infrastructure improvements <br />will be done first, or will they be made in <br />conjunction with a development. Mr. <br />Kamicar suggested that it could happen <br />either in conjunction with a developer or in <br />advance of development. <br />Mr. Eagan asked if there was ever a study <br />about what caused the decline of this area, so <br />the same result won't happen again. Mr. <br />Zahner responded that there were two causes. <br />There used to be four or five times as many <br />people employed at employers within aone- <br />mile radius of this square. As the job base <br />declined, the shopping center declined. The <br />other thing that happened is that newer, <br />larger retail complexes were built within a <br />three-mile radius. Those centers became <br />more attractive areas for retail to locate. <br />17 <br />