HomeMy WebLinkAboutRM 04-13-89April 13,
7:00 p.m.
Presiding
1.
INN ND ' Dr 191 DOM 1
. Mr. F. Jay Nimtz
President
1200 County -City Building
227 W. Jefferson Boulevard
South Bend, Indiana 46601
Present: Mr. F. Jay Nimtz, President
Ms. Paula N. Auburn, Vice President
Mr. Roman J. Piasecki, Secretary
Mr. Sandy Combs, Assistant Secretary
Mr. Michael Donoho
Legal Counsel: Ms. Carolyn Pfotenhauer
Staff: Mrs. Ann Kolata, Director
Mrs. Cheryl Phipps, Office Manager
Mr. Tarry Koepfle, Economic Dev. Specialist
Dev. /Bus. Assistance Staff Mr. Donald Inks, Director
Ms. Pamela Meyer, Asst. Director
Bureau of Housing Staff: Ms. Kathryn Bauxjartner, Director
Mr. Ted Leverman
Ms. Mary Richmond
Ms. Rosie Cottonham
Ms. Judi Walton
News Me dia: Mr.
Mr.
Others: Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
-1-
Thom Howell, U -93
Howard Dukes, South Bend Tribune
Carter Wolf, Center City Associates
Mikki Dobski, Community Affairs
Sean Coleman, South Bend Common Council
Jeff Gibney, South Bend Heritage Foundation
Neil Gilbert, South Bend Heritage Found.
Gladys MW=Tied, South Bend Heritage Found.
Carl Ellison
John Collins, Sr.
Sedaria Brenson
Bobby Newbill
James Cronk
Milton Butts
Tracie Jacobs
Melvin Reed
Ed Kaczmarek
Hollis Hughes, Sr.
Leroy Kingsberry
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
1.
0
3.
(Cont.)
Others:) continued...
Mr. Nin
8:45 p.
limited
Ms. Ida Mitcham
Ms. A. Marie Pawlicki
Mr. Felix Owsley, Sr.
Ms. Mary Newbill
Ms. Sue Hockman
Mr. Gary Fox
Mr. Carl Works
Ms. Louvenia Cain
Ms. Maxine Ellison
Ms. Dorothy Ellis
Ms. Carol Collins
Ms. Eugenia Braboy
Ms. Charlotte Pfeifer
Ms. Lyn Lawrence
Ms. Debra Newbill
Mr. Ben Tyler
Ms. Elena Tyler
Mr. Jim Mullins
Mr. Vernell Willis Moore
Ms. Mary Curry
tz asked the Cotmnission if there was any objection to setting a time limit of
n. for the discussion of item 6.b. There was no objection and discussion was
to 8:45 p.m.
Upon a motion made by Ms. Auburn, seconded by
Mr. Piasecki and unanimously carried, the
minutes of the Regular Meeting of Friday,
March 24, 1989, were approved.
Busines,
Systems
Contra
Design Group
Founda
'on Center
Gaverrm
mt Finance Office
America
Planning Association
C. C.
Publication
South BoxMishawaka
Area Chamber of Ccmmierce
Gene's
Camera Store
HUD User
NationaL Main Street
Seifer Safe & Lock
-2-
CCIVMSSION APPROVED THE HINUTES
OF THE REG(= MEETING OF FRIDAY,
A.« ...
309.64
20.00
21.95
2.00
501.00
16.00
15.00
5.95
8.00
30.00
70.20
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Rescheduled Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
3. APPROVAL OF CLAIMS (Cont.)
4.
5.
6.
Tung
Visible Computer Supply
Total Admin 1989
& Title Corp.
Total .I.F.
Grand tal
Upon a motion made by Mr. Combs, seconded by
Mr. Do oho and unanimously carried, the
Commis ion formally approved the claims
submitted March 27 and April 3, 1989, and
order checks dated April 1 and April 10,
1989, o be released.
There Were no communications.
There xtas no old business.
a.
V V GR.YIGL WLL 1lAV1 11Ulll•11
Kolata explained that the Community
Development Contract for Studebaker
Corridor Planning Activity was approved
Aucust 12, 1988 in the amount of
$1 ,233.00. It is to be used for
expenditures such as title work and
suivey work in the Studebaker Corridor.
This addendum extends the contract to
Decmber 31, 1989.
Upoa a motion by Mr. Piasecki, seconded
by 4r. Combs and unanimously carried, the
Connission approved Addendum I to
Cmmmity Development Program Contract,
CDS -610, for Studebaker Corridor
Pla.ming.
-3-
295.50
66.00
$ 1,361.24
$ 745.00
$ 745.00
$ 2,106.24
CONNISSION APPROVED TBE CLAIMS
SURY1ITTED NARM 27 AND APRIL
1989, AND ORDERED CRECKS DATED
APRIL 1 AND APRIL 10, 1989, TO H5
RELEASED
TBERE WERE NO COMMUNICATIONS
T ERE WAS NO OID BUSINESS
[041 616116=4 • ••--• 1WH DMA P) W •
[6*616 40 IV
k 0 IZ WO) V -ZA I 11A M W F-A �' I ilk I I M�'
I
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Rescheduled Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW DWINESS (Cont.)
b. Presentation of Co=rehensive PRESENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE
Neighborhood Preservation and Development NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION AND
Plan for the Near Westside Nei rhood. DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE NEAR
WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
In the absence of David Norris, Project
Manager for the West Washington/Chapin
neighborhood, Pamela Meyer introduced the
vre sentation.
Ms.1 Meyer: I am going to read from notes PAMELA MEYER
that Dave left me. I'm sure he is here
in spirit.
The reason we are meeting here tonight is
a result of a partnership between the
neighborhood and the City which was begun
in 1986. The Plan to be presented
tor 'ght is the result of nearly a year of
effort, numerous meetings, differences of
opinions, and compromise. As it will be
e3qlained to you later in greater detail,
th plan is the result of a process of
co building among all parties
olved, with the neighborhood residents
playing a major role in final
recamaiendations in the Plan. The
decisions required to develop these
reconmierklations were not always easy to
Our department has worked closely
with the members of the West
W n- Chapin Revitalization Project,
(WWCRP) throughout the entire
process. We support the plan for
revitalization of the West
Washington-Chapin neighborhood you are
abcut to hear. I would like to introduce
you now to Carl Works, who is a resident
of the neighborhood and a member of the
WCPP Board, who will begin the formal
prelsentation of the Plan.
-4-
South Ben edevelopment Commission
Rescheduleo Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BMINESSS (Cont.)
b. Coritinued...
Carl Works: Thank you, Pam. Mr. Nimtz CARL WORKS
and members of the Con nission, thank you
for rescheduling your regular meeting for
tccorrow to facilitate tonight's
presentation. The presentation tonight
refers to an area specifically that is
bordered by William Street on the east,
Olive Street on the west, Western and the
Co it railroad tracks to the south, and
the Olive Orange Connector, or just north
of the Olive Orange Connector, to the
north. In our presentation of our Plan
tonight, we will try to be concise and to
thE point. But it will consist of,
essentially, five parts. I am here to
introduce, first, Ms. Charlotte Pfeifer,
whc will present the first part and then
I will be back at the end to summarize.
But, as part of my introduction, I'd like
to give you a little background on how
our group came to be.
Approximately two years ago a group of
businessmen formed on West Washington to
address some of the problems and concerns
of the residents of the West Washington
Street area. Arising out of that group
and a desire by the City of South Bend to
solidify the number of groups that were
workuig in the area, we formed a group
called the WWCRP, which actually is the
West Washington - Chapin Revitalization
'ect, Incorporated. Approximately a
y ago, the area that I've just
re to was designated to be a
velopment target area and we gave
loose definition in terms of what
was going to happen in this target area
with the understanding that we would
prepare a Comprehensive Development
P1 . We solicited requests for
proposals from a number of planners from
outside the community and after much
di ion, selected a company, known as
rrkla, Pettigrew, Alan, Payne and
Asscociates. Working in conjunction with
group, the Plan that we are
-5-
South Bend Redevelopment Comission
Reshcedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Coritinued...
presenting tonight is the result of those
of orts. Many of the people here tonight
ha a worked very hard aver the last
twelve to eighteen months to work on this
Plz n and we are very proud of it because
th Plan is not just a demolition plan or
a I ind of removal plan. It is a plan
is been developed by the residents
ard business people that operate in the
west side of South Bend and it
adcresses many of their concerns. I
think it is a very do -able plan and is
one that is workable. At this time I'd
lile to bring Ms. Charlotte Pfeifer.
Che lotte Pfeifer: Mr. Nimtz, Commission CHARIOTI'E PFEIFER
I, too, want to thank you for
hezring our Plan tonight. We were very
excited about this Plan because it is the
re-cult of two years of hard work. I just
vez y briefly want to go over some of the
prc cess. For the last two years we have
mace sure that the neighborhood
reE idents, those who had businesses in
the neighborhood, those that had just an
interest in the neighborhood, people who
used to live in the neighborhood, and
people who may want to contribute
monetarily to the neighborhood were
included in this process. We've met for
the last two years, but in the last six
months we have met twice a month as a
In addition to that, once a month
we had a general meeting and we made
again, that everyone knew about the
meetings by having newsletters and phone
messages and doing everything possible to
include all interested parties in this
We
me
iad a task force, originally, about
it months ago. And that, again,
Luded people who lived in the
#hborhood, people who have businesses
he neighborhood, bankers, people from
NAACP, the ministers that were
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW DWINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
located in the neighborhood, and we all
got together at Hansel Center and
discussed how we all, from our different
perspectives, saw our neighborhood: the
gocd, the bad, the things that we wanted
to see changed. We also wrote down!
which I found very interesting, what do
you want to make sure gets mentioned
here, that if you didn't mention, no one
else would. So that allowed people to
say things like "trash pick -up" and being
concerned about some redlining, and some
negative things like that that people
don't want to say because they don't want
to step on toes. That really kind of
b e the ice and allowed us to come
togather as a cohesive group and really
worc together to get this process. In
addLtion to that, we want to mention that
the City has been very supportive of us.
May Dr Kernan and his staff members, and,
of murse, Dave Norris, as was mentioned
earlier, were always there and available
to us. Many mailings, lots of meetings,
you know, early morning, late at night,
and so we've just really worked hand
tog ther. I guess what I can't emphasize
ens gh is that every effort was made to
inc ude anyone interested in this
p . We even had a chart laid out.
There were circles and squares. There
was a time when board members met and
made decisions. And then at the general
meetings in the evening, we had it up for
a vote. We allowed the general
mend)ership to discuss issues and the
board members voted, the general
'p voted, and we all came
together and decided on Plan A and Plan B
for the West Washington - Chapin area. I
wan to go ahead and read something
beQ use in addition to the efforts that
Car mentioned about doing the
rel tion, I want to make sure that you
that we are concerned also with what
is c oing on with the people in the
neiOiborhood. And we developed the
following resolution:
-7-
South Bend pedevelopment Camu scion
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW EELS= (Cont.)
b. Continued...
WEST WA$INGI'ON CHAPIN REVI=ZATION PROTECT
RESOLUTION
the West Washington- Chapin
Revitalization Project Board of Directors
is committed to all areas of
revitalization of the West
Washington-Chapin neighborhood and,
the West Washington - Chapin
Re -vitalization Project Board of Directors
is concerned about the health and welfare
of the people,
THEREFORE,, the West Washington- Chapin
Revitalization Project Board of Directors
is resolved to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C-
7.
Insure that a Plan is developed to
make the West Washington - Chapin
neighborhood a drug -free area;
Develop a Comprehensive Plan to
ensure the safety of all residents,
businesses and visitors to the West
Washington - Chapin neighborhood;
Develop a Plan to provide the support
services and programs for
dysfunctional families;
Increase economic opportunities for
people who live in the neighborhood
by ensuring that a portion of the
jobs created by the development are
targeted for neighborhood residents;
Promote the establishment of clinics
to provide medical, drug, alcohol,
child and elderly care for
neighborhood residents;
Promote the rehabilitation and new
construction of housing for low and
moderate income neighborhood
residents;
Promote the development of a plan to
provide quality educational
South Bend Pedevelolmiient Commission
Rescheduleq Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Coritinued...
So
in
of
m
in
so
a
to
opportunities through school and
neighborhood based programs;
Promote large truck traffic
regulations that ensures the improved
safety and quality of life in the
West Washington-Chapin neighborhood.
rou can see that we made sure that we,
)ur revitalization efforts, that we
:oached it from a holistic view,
dcal, spiritual, and every other kind
Tray. I would like to now turn the
: part of the presentation of the
tP to Neil Gilbert, who is a
fthborhood resident. He is also on the
tP board and he is also a staff member
South Bend Heritage.
L Gilbert: Good evening. My name is NEIL GILBERT
L Gilbert. I am a Board member of the
2P, I am a staff member for South Bend
Ltage Foundation, and I have been a
Ldent of the neighborhood for fourteen
^s. We are here this evening to ask
Redevelopment Commission to amend the
sting Development Plan for the West
iington- Chapin Development Area to
Lude the rec cnmiendations of our
)rehensive Plan. When the
fthborhood, through the WWCRP, agreed
Rapport the declaration of the
ftiborhood as a redevelopment target
R, There were two conditions that we
he WWCRP and the neighborhood pushed
hat we could fully support the
.aration of the target area. Those
conditions were: 1) the completion of
xprehensive Plan for the neighborhood
ielp guide ongoing decisions as
rvelepment occurred in the
ftiborhood, and 2) that the
welcpment Cm nission would agree in
iciple to solicit input front
ft boyhood residents on an ongoing
.s throughout the redevelopment
mss. As the City and the
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BWINE55 (Cont.)
b. Continued...
Recevelcpment Commission supported the
idea of a Comprehensive Plan and
surported the concept of ongoing input,
we in the neighborhood, the WWCRP, and
South Bend Heritage decided that we would
go forward and support the declaration of
the redevelopment area. Tonight we see
thE culmination of the completion of that
fixst condition, the completion of our
Ccuprehensive Development Plan. Our Plan
presents thoughtful and creative
reccamendations to help revitalize our
neighborhood, with principle focus on the
arE a 's two commercial districts, at
Was.hington and Walnut, and along South
Chapin Street. Pam's putting the area
map back on the projector. I think
evExybody knows where these areas are.
We refer to them as Target Area A and B.
Taiget Area A is the Washington- Walnut
area. It's the small, sort of corner,
shaded area, pretty much right in the
middle of the map, to the above and left
of the R in Residential. Target Area B
is the Chapin Street commercial area in
the 300 block of South Chapin Street in
the lower portion of the map. These
are as have for too many years been the
location of South Bend's most
blatant deterioration, disinvestment, and
cr3me. The time has come for our entire
community to come together and help
transform this area into a safe and
desirable place to live, work and visit.
We believe that our Plan can help lead
the way to positive change so that all
segments of the South Bend commnity can
participate in Mayor Kernan's goal to
Mike South Bend the best city of its size
in America by the year 2000.
lough the principal specific
mmiendations of our Plan relate to the
aical development for the area, the
tP Board is committed to an aggressive
ongoing comprehensive revitalization
dram. This program was briefly
-10-
South Bend Redevelopment Com- mission
ReschedulEo Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
.ned by Charlotte in the resolution
was read.
Th WWCRP Comprehensive Plan seeks to
build on a number of existing strengths
assets of the near west side. I
think we have the overlay that summarizes
those strengths and positive conditions.
With financial support from the City we
wete able to hire an urban planning firm
frcm Chicago, called Trkla, Pettigrew,
Alan and Payne. And with their technical
assistance, a study was done to determine
what some of the strengths and assets, as
well as weaknesses and negative
corditions, of the neighborhood are. And
these findings are presented now.
The assets of the neighborhood include
thE following: active neighborhood
ressidents and merchants; recent
r idential improvements in large
sections of the area; closeness to
downtown and the revitalization in
prcgress, there; the historic character of
thE area; the affordable housing that is
a ilable in the Near Westside; the
Prcposed utilization and expansion of the
Oliver Mansion as a major museum facility
in the neighborhood; and the numerous
social service organizations and churches
that add stability to the area, including
the West Washington - Capin Revitalization
Project, South Bend Heritage Foundation,
aro the Near Westside Neighborhood
In addition to taking advantage of the
strmxfths of the neighborhood, our
reommiendations are designed to address
the negative conditions that currently
affoat the living and working environment
t Near Westside and detract from the
quality of life in our area.
egative conditions include:
and severely deteriorated
of
space. Of the 42 comTercial
-11-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Rescheduleq Regular Meeting - April 3, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
buildings on Chapin and Washington
Street, which contain approximately
165,000 square feet of space, 50% of this
space is vacant. According to the market
overview performed by our planning
consultants, this amount of square
foctage significantly exceeds existing,
as well as future, demand. Given the
extremely substandard conditions of most
of the buildings along the 1200 block of
We.ct Washington, the costs of
rel ilitation would be very high,
recuiring that rents would be much too
hic h relative to existing demand.
x conditions that our Plan seeks to
:come include the pockets of severe
.dential deterioration, especially
- the Chapin and Washington/Walnut
lercial areas, the excessive amount of
ie in the neighborhood, including open
illegal drug sales, and continuing
►tings and murders. Other conditions
our Plan seeks to overcome include
thirty year pattern of population
Ine, and, last but not least, the
negative image of the Near Westside
Elting from all of these problems - an
fe that discourages new home buyers
businesses from relocating in our
bborhood, while at the same time
ouraging existing owners from
vying their properties.
In light of all these factors, it is the
reommvmdation of the WWCRP that our
commmty begin a physical development
action program that should be implemented
first in the Washington/Walnut commercial
are5L and then in the South Chapin Street
comnercial area. We are recomnnerAing
tha 40 to 60 new units of housing be
co tructed along the 1200 and 1300
bl of West Washington, and also a
newly constructed small neighborhood
commercial center within the same area.
In order to make way for this new
-12-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Rescheduled Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEV DMINE.SS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
:lopment, our Plan recoxmiends
.isition of severely deteriorated
iercial buildings, relocation of
nesses, demolition of the structures,
assembly of the land for new
:lopment - for the new housing and
ercial development.
At the same time, we are also
recomvxkling that several of the
buildings in the area be acquired and
rehabilitated and reused for new
businesses and businesses relocated from
buildings to be demolished. The WWCRP
and South Bend Heritage Foundation have
already begun working with one merchant
to relocate in the area. The buildings
in this category of acquisition and reuse
lude the two commercial buildings on
thE northwest corner of Elm and
Wa.chington. If you refer to the map on
thE screen, I will draw your attention to
these buildings to be rehabilitated and
reused. They are the buildings that are
more darkly shaded, they are supposed to
have little dots on them, but those are
hard to see at this distance. Elm Street
is the further eastern boundary on that
map on the far right. We are
recamvending that the two cc miercial
buildings on the northwest corner be
retained, the Tudor style building, which
is actually three separate storefronts on
the northwest corner of Walnut and
Washington, the two buildings on the
southwest corner of Walnut and
W n, and the former Slutsky Peltz
building along the south side of the 1200
block of Washington. Also included in
this category is the former Sandock
building, which is not indicated on the
map. We recognize that the feasibility
of rehabilitating a particular building
is lependent on the costs of
reh ilitation and locating a developer.
In a case of the Sandock building, with
Ci support, an engineering study has
-13-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "DgESS (Cont.)
recently completed and gives a good
ation of what structural repair, and
ual total rehabilitation, will be
d for that particular building.
South Bend Heritage Foundation is now
conducting a financial analysis to
determine the feasibility of constructing
the 40 to 60 units of new affordable
housing that our Plan recxmnnends . This
study will be completed by mid summer. A
bit. later in our presentation, we will
on this new housing proposal.
Jeff Gibney will be doing that.
Our Plan also makes recamnendations for
de elcpment along Chapin Street. We are
prcposing that this area be maintained
primarily as a carmiercial area, in order
to take advantage of recent developments
along the 300 block of South Chapin
Styeet. New housing is proposed for the
no ern portion of the Chapin Street
The acquisition of buildings,
lard, and relocation of residents and
businesses, and necessary demolition for
this development would take place as a
second or third phase of the total Plan.
At the present time, there are not funds
fox, this development along Chapin Street.
Plan also reccamiends the creation of
a Emall, light industrial park just west
of Circle Ave., behind the old seminary,
am this map highlights that. The
concept behind this is to create an
industrial park similar to that in Monroe
This development would take place
in the second or third phase of the
overall Plan. There are, at present, no
funds earmarked for this particular
ial park.
funding for the acquisition, the
cation, and demolition along West
ington Street will came from a
,000 Section 108 loan that the City's
-14-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
ReschedulEK4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Cor#tinued...
Department of Economic Development has
already secured from the Department of
Ho ing and Urban Development. We have
an erlay that summarizes the project
funis for the initial phase of our Plan.
In addition to the $600,000 Section 108
loaa, an additional $95,000 of funds have
beea targeted from locally reallocated
Comanuty Development Block Grant funds.
OthBr sources of funding for future
redevelopment could came from a variety
of sources, including additional Section
108 loans, future Commtunity Development
revenue from Tax Incremental
Financing, and private sector investment.
The timetable for property acquisition is
al outlined on the overlay. This is a
schedule that Mr. Norris from the
Department of Econcmmic Development
proAded us and, if everything goes
reasonably well, according to the
sch Bdule, if the Plan is amended as we
are reccma*xK ing, we would expect to see
some physical changes on Washington
Street before the end of this year
In Closing, I would like to thank the
City of South Bend and its Department of
Economic Development for all of its
ass stance, and our consultants Trkla,
Pettigrew, Alan & Payne, for helping us
cre, ite a plan that has truly come from
witldn the neighborhood.
I'd like to introduce Mr. Jeff Gibney,
who will provide some additional
inf rmation about our concept for new
aff rdable housing.
Mr. Nimtz interrupted the presentation to
ask those presenters who have prepared
remarks to supply the Commission with a
copy following the meeting.
-15-
South Bend
odevelopment Commission
Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "INE.SS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
Jeff Gibney: Mr. Nintz and other members JEFF GIBNEY
of the Redevelopment Cmnnission, I would
1' e to give you a very brief sketch of
scme planning that is taking place right
now within South Bend Heritage
Foundation's staff and it's Board of
Directors. This planning is, in fact,
pait of a three year Plan which the South
Bend Heritage Foundation Board has
de eloped and is also an action plan for
our agency as also very much a compliment
to the report that has been presented
tonight in terms of its interest and
surport for low income housing.
I would first like to say that South Bend
Heritage has a fifteen year track record
for a commitment to the West Washington
neighborhood, and although we have
expanded our services into the margins of
downtown South Bend, and into Monroe
Pazk, it is the West Washington
neighborhood where South Bend Heritage
Foundation got its start in 1974 and
inly where it continues to have its
major thrust in the neighborhood. So it
is out of that experience with the
neighborhood that these plans are being
reccmwnded. First of all, I would say
that we really got involved in this and
became supportive because, in general, an
abEolutely thumbnail sketch of the
sLmmary of this plan, that on West
W n Street we are reccnmvz ding the
cordensing of the conyercial district and
the expanding of the residential housing
caffiponent in that neighborhood.
As we began to look at development, we
began to look at the issues of financing
for housing, ownership and management,
finally, the actual physical
development and construction. I think,
as rost everyone in the room knows, the
dol ars available for affordable housing
today are fewer than they have ever been
bef Dre. And it would be very naive of us
-16-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BLJS=S (Cont.)
b. Coritinued...
to assume that there were going to be
LING grants or loans to put this project
together, or extensive Ccmmmmity
Development Block Grant funds, so we
really began to look for a new source of
do lays to be able to put together an
affordable housing project.
In 1986 there was new federal legislation
which was part of a Reagan program which
I call a trickle -down program which tried
to encourage the private sector to get
olved in the development of low income
housing through a federal tax credit
program for low income housing. And that
is really the financial tool that our
o 'zation is looking at for developing
thE housing on West Washington Street.
To put it as simply as I can, what this
program does is provide a federal tax
't to investors who become limited
paxtners in the development of low income
housing and rental projects. The
investors will often finance
approximately 30% of the total cost of
this project in exchange for federal tax
'credits and also for real estate
derreciation, but not cash flow: that is
scm thing they do not take out of the
project. This formula of tax credits and
rez 1 estate depreciation allows us, the
SoLth Bend Heritage Foundation, who would
be the general partner, to then lower our
rer ts and make it available for
affordable housing, and when we say
affordable, we're talking about people
whcse income is 60% of the median
As we see the project today, it
will not have federal dollars, it will
not have local City or government
dollars, but will be an infusion of
dollars from corporate investors, an
infusion of dollars from local lenders,
or enders from part of a national pool
of ney. That's the financing mechanism
tha we are proposing to use to develop
h ing in the West Washington corridor.
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South Bend I Redevelopment Commission
ResdledUle4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BU=S (Cont.)
b. Continued...
Secondly, is the question of ownership
anc-management. South Bend Heritage is,
richt now, considering a for profit
entity to manage this property and our
estors will become our limited
Pa-Itners. The property will be put on
th tax rolls, so, we are aware of the
fact that the neighborhood right now has
become a tax incremental financing area.
If we were to develop this real estate
and not generate additional taxes, it
woL ld not, in fact, be an asset to the
tax incremental financing philosophy.
South Bend Heritage Foundation is, right
meeting with people who manage
apartment complexes in the community,
specifically for low inc me people, so
the t we are certain that when we get
im olved in the management side of this
prcperty, that we will have sufficient
ise to make it a piece of real
es to that the Near Westside is proud
of .
lastly, I'd like to describe how we see
the physical development of the
construction of this project. We know
that the project will be developed in twc
phases and the first phase will take
plam from Elm, which is the street that
you see on the right hand side, to
Wal,iut, and that's both sides of the
str9et. We are looking at as few as
fourteen buildings and as many as twenty,
but those buildings will be duplexes, so
that represents from twenty -eight to
forty units. The second phase will be
from Walnut Street, and then further west
down to N. Birdsell and could have up to
fifteen buildings, or an additional
units. As I have mentioned, we
see the development of the units as
duplex buildings. We see them as having
side yards (you can barely detect that
when you look at the floor plan up here),
but they will have approximately 15 feet
bet3ieen each structure, which is common
South Bend edevelopment Commission
Reschedulel Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
within the West Washington neighborhood
richt now. That is traditionally the way
th are spaced. The buildings will have
front and back yards. The buildings will
be two stories tall and will also be
'architecturally compatible with what
already exists within the neighborhood.
We do not want these properties to stand
out as some type of government housing,
but, in fact, be an aesthetic compliment
to that is already there. They will be
ap ximately 1150 square feet, two and
bedrooms. As we are preparing our
req.iests for proposals to local
arcAtects and developers, we are also
s sing issues of energy efficiency and
J a couple concluding remarks that I
to make about this project, is that
we very much in a planning stage. We
do have strong commitment from our Board
of Directors in this planning. We are
working with consultants from the Center
for Community Change in Washington, who
are assisting us. We are responding to
the recommendations of the Comprehensive
Pla,,i and we are also treating the
recmmiendations as a concept, in that it
is 3aying, again, a reduction of the
commrcial space, an increase in the
res'dential space. As we sit down and do
our planning, we may suggest that the
sho ping center be west of Walnut; or we
may suggest that, as you see two houses
eas of the former Slutsky Peitz
building, maybe we think that that should
reaIly be reserved singly for the
dev lcpment of Slutsky Peitz. So our
plan may come in a little bit different
exactly the way it is seen on the
we are finished, we are pleased to
r any questions you may have about
project.
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South Bend lRedevelopnvent Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW MINES S (Cont.)
b. Coritinued...
1y, I do want to conmient on the
:table. our plan is going forward
t now very consistently. We would
that we would be able to solicit
,truction bids in January of 1990 and
n construction in March or April of
year, and would expect to complete
project in twelve to fourteen
hs. Thank you.
I' d like to reintroduce Carl Works. He
is final speaker and will give some
up comments. Thank you.
Works: Thank you Jeff. For the CARL WORKS
rd, I am Carl Works. I am an Indiana
r estate broker. I maintain offices
at 28 E. South Street in the City of
S Bend. I'm also a very proud
resident, along with my wife and son who
are present, of the Near Westside, at
1115 Thomas Street. As you have heard
tonight, there are, of course, large
problems on the Near Westside. That's
v well known. But, there are also, as
is evident by our overwhelming support
thrmghout the community, large assets.
And the largest of those are the people
tha live there, the people who live
them and love it, that want there to be
a jor change in the west side. I don't
thiik anybody is not in agreement with
tha . And as a part of that, we've been
inv lved in planning now for two years:
pla ming, planning, and more planning.
We' a looked at what has happened to the
N Westside over the past thirty years,
loo oed at the successes and all the
fai , -ures and tried to incorporate the
su and address the failures. As a
result of that planning, there is new
excitement and new hope for the future on
the Near Westside. We've looked at
housing. We're providing good decent
h ing for moderate income families, not
onl on the west side, but for people
tha are in the other areas of the City
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Z
South Bend Pedevelopment Commission
ReschedulE4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW WAINFSS (Cont.)
b. Cor#tinued...
of South Bend who would welcome to live
on the west side. South Bend Heritage is
planning, I can't overemphasize planning,
fox the development of that housing.
We've looked at financing sources. We've
been successful with the Section 108
prc gram and I think that we can be
successful down the road with additional
sources of financing. So, in closing, on
bel-alf of myself, the WWCRP, and its
and all of its members, and all of
th interested people throughout the
'ty that have expressed their
rt, I would ask for your favorable
co ideration to the adoption of our Plan
as of the redevelopment plan for the
N Westside. And that concludes our
Mr. Nimtz interrupted to ask if there
were any Councilmen present. He weld
Councilman Coleman and former
Councilwoman Braboy.
Mr. Nimtz: Before I call on any comments F. JAY N=Z
from the opposition, I'm sure there are
I see Mr. Crank is here, but I will
admonish everybody that wants to speak:
we've heard the Plan, we'd be pleased to
hear from you. Let's not rehash the same
thing over and over and over again. But
we'd be pleased to have any person that
wants to address the Commission, to
advance and be recognized, give your name
aro whatever you have to say.
Felix Owsley: My name is Felix Owsley.
I own a business at 1249 W. Washington.
Id-stening to the report, it seems that
everybody is saying everybody in that
area is agreeing to what they are
saying. Here I have more than 600 names
that do not agree with them. Of those
600 names, 190 of them live in that
First, why should we tear down
bui dings to put houses when you got in
the same area, in the same boundary area,
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102MI ,ti��T. iI�1iJ
South Bend Ptedevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW U IlVFSS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
vacant land. Plenty of space: West
Jefferson, West Thomas, Chestnut, Cherry
Street, all of those. And the area that
they are talking about is, the Target
Area A, is like Ivory soap - 99 and
44/100% black. And the majority of those
do not want any buildings tore down.
Suze all of us are for improvement,
better homes, better things. But you got
one thing there: the people that live in
t area has the lowest income, the
lox4est education, and the highest
are saying build the houses. But
L you try to pin them down, they can't
. you what the rent will be, what they
going to allocate those houses to the
►le in that area and for the people
don't want to go. That's the whole
g. Sure, on the screen you can make
hint look beautiful.
I just want to show you an example. They
want a shopping center, a small shopping
You take the Westside, where
most of the Polish people live across the
tracks, Western Avenue. At one time
there was over six or seven grocery
stores. You can't find one over there.
Th 're solidified. Why don't they have
grocery stores. Who said that because
theV have an agenda, that they are going
to iave grocery stores. A hardware
st , no longer than one month ago,
Werntz, after years, went out of business
ov on the corner of Western Avenue.
Fil ing stations, you got two of the
bus'est intersections in town, Olive
S t and Western. Huge filling
sta ion, boarded up. Corner of
lnway and Olive, another filling
sta ion is boarded up. We're under their
ageida here, that they took the survey,
The , theirselves, said that the cost,
hou3es cannot be built, businesses cannot
be rofitable. Now how can they sit
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4
.v
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
there and tell you that they can, just by
hgoroving the neighborhood.
In the meeting, all they talk about is
crime. Crime is throughout the United
States: Washington, D.C. What are they
txying to do? So crime is a police
prcblem. I don't want crime. Neither do
you. Tearing down buildings won't solve
it. So I'm presenting this list to you,
sh ing you these people here are not in
a rdance with these people here.
Mr. Nimtz: Thank you very much. F. JAY N=Z
tly I didn't make myself clear.
We want to hear advocates of the Plan.
Then we'll cut it off and hear opposition
to it.
Ben Tyler: Good evening. My name is Ben BEN TYLER
Tyler. I am President of the Board of
Directors of WWCRP and I know my group
has indicated a lot of the positive
things that are going to go on in our
neighborhood, so I won't stand up here
too long, but felt like I should indicate
that a lot of hard work has gone into the
Plan, and we have included all facets,
black, white, others that live in the
neighborhood, awn property in the
neigbborhood, even the detractors were
'invited and had their input.
Unfortunately for them, we hope that you
will approve our Plan as it is because we
do lieve that the large share of the
neloiborhood supports us. Thank you.
da Braboy: Good evening, to EUGENIA BRABOY
dent Nimtz and his C=Lission. I'm
Lia Braboy, a twenty -six year
lent in the target area. And I am
in support of the Plan. I would
to tell you some things that you
bly will be hearing that will be
.ive to this, but I want to rebut
and say that this is a truly
rated, not a racist, group. It is
-23-
U
South Bend I Redevelopment Commssion
Rescheduleq Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW =D1ESS (Cont.)
b. Coritinued...
up of blacks and whites that have
working together for over three
0, when the first plan started.
Now we have developed this Comprehensive
Plan. Contrary to what you may hear,
some of the dreams and some of the
visions that we have is that one day that
the West Washington and the Chapin Street
area will be a place where minorities can
ha a small businesses and not necessarily
evc ry day, run of the mill things, but
businesses that can, as we have seen in
otter cities, that have branched out.
Ev some people that I know are doing
overseas business now. They are small,
mir rity businesses. So we hope to see,
one of these days, right in the area, a
of both black and white, not only
living together and working together, but
devalcping businesses that will employ
people. Because the bottom line is
eco-iomic developTient and education for
all. I am a true supporter of this Plan
and I hope that you do approve it. Thank
Ellison: Mr. Nimtz, members of the CARL ELLISON
Ccmxission, my name is Carl Ellison and I
live at 1740 Hass Drive.
It's been a while since I've had the
rtunity to address you. I'm
espacially grateful to stand before you
tonight and request your support of a
rational, realistic and achievable Plan
that will allow the Near Westside to
further realize its economic and physical
dev lcpmQnt potential.
The Commission historically played both a
leadership and supportive role in
attmpting to improve the Near Westside
cammzaty. While some may feel that all
effort, and even contemplated
eff rt, may not be fully successful, no
one I can maintain that this Commission has
-24-
° J
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6.
b. Continued...
been willing to listen to the
-rations and concerns of citizens and
an honest effort to respond.
ght the Commission has another
irtunity to respond to the voice of
people. The Plan amendment before
reflects consensus as to necessary
lopment steps to accelerate the
talization of this area.
The Commission is asked by the people to
assume a strategic leadership role in the
dyramic partnership that has evolved
amcng neighborhood residents, community
based organizations, the private sector,
local government. Adoption of this
plan amendment means that the Commission
once again accepts and commits itself to
providing appropriate leadership, in
co junction with the other partners who
ha a developed this wonderful plan, to
foster and help oversee positive change
in this neighborhood.
I x, ant to compliment the WWCRP and all
otters involved in the planning
prc cess. The process which produced
plan has in my judgement, been
the and inclusive. Anyone wishing
to iave input was given the opportunity
to Io so aver a long period of time.
Hav uig input does not necessarily mean
all parties at the end will agree as
to :)lan elements, but everyone has had a
to put their two cents in. In
fa c--, this planning process has been
exerplary, and reflects a planning model
tha could be applied to other areas such
as the near Southeast side which also
neeo development attention.
hoot my public and private sector
, I have never observed a
orhood based planning process
than this one.
-25-
R
South Bendel Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
Plan before you is good, not only
the Near Westside, but indeed for
city as a whole. Thus, it is my
:inct pleasure to endorse this
1lent Plan amendment and request
you enthusiastically and
dmously adopt it. Thank you.
. Nimtz: Any other favorable
Elena Tyler: Good evening. My name is ELF TYLER
El ena Tyler and I am currently an
enplcyed person in the West Washington
My husband and I own a business
ere. And in that business we do make
a concerted effort, in fact we are very
ccumitted to hiring the people in that
neighborhood. one reason that I,
personally, as a new resident of this
city, would like to see this plan
accepted is because I have been able to
go to meetings and see the work that has
been done, some of it anyway, to make
this possible. I go to work there every
clz y. And every day I am afraid. I am
afraid to drive down Washington Street.
Our business is on South Cherry Street
ard I refuse to drive dawn Washington
Street because I'm afraid. There's a
light somewhere, I'm not sure of the
name of the street. I'd like this Plan
accepted because I'd like to be able to
drive, because it would be more
convenient for me to drive, straight
d Washington Street to Cherry Street
not be afraid. And that's why I'd
1' E to see you accept the Plan. Thank
Dobski: Good evening. My name is N1= DOBSEI
Dobski. I am a Board Member of
Bend Heritage Foundation and the
:tor of Comminity Affairs for the
of South Bend. I have a few
nts I'd like to make, particularly
ding the visitor industry and how
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4
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW WAINESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
will be impacted by this plan. I
ss I want to do a little history
e, too, in that I graduated from St.
twig Elementary School, my parents
ed on Gerry Street, my grandparents
ed on Napier Street, my best friends
ed on Thomas Street and on Colfax
eet. A lot of times we got caught
ning around the Oliver Mansion
perty when we weren't supposed to be
re, so I'm looking forward to being
e to access that soon.
I would like to add my urgings to the
Commission to consider and accept this
pan because I think the revitalization
o the area is crucial to a lot of the
tffl.ngs that we are doing. I'm very
olved with the Stadium. My office is
at. Coveleski Stadium. Several people
tzavel through the area to reach the
also are working in terms of
:racting people through convention and
Lrism efforts. We put amenity
kages together that include some of
commercial properties on Washington
eet, but the critical piece is that
have to convince people that they can
:1 safe in visiting these areas.
vitalization through this Plan can
:e that happen and that can be
tical to the economic development of
carmnmity.
A lot of people think what I do is a lot
of fun, but it does mean a lot in terms
of dollars, especially new dollars, that
can be brought into the ccmmunity by
pecple who visit the area.
Un ortunately, when we talk with people
set up even a trip in from the
a' -port, Washington Street and Chapin
St eet are not the routes that they
chi to travel. They ask us to take
th north and then into the downtown
-27-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Ccbntinued...
I'd like to see that change and I
k it can through this plan.
1, as I mentioned, the revitalization
the area can help the entire economic
,elcpment package, but critical in the
ments that have been made here
lier this evening is that it can be
y beneficial to the people that live
the area. And I guess I'd like to be
.e to remember and be able to go back
what I do remember as a youth growing
And I again urge you to accept the
n. Thank you.
Milton Butts: Mr. Nimtz, members of the MILTON BUTTS
Redevelopment Commission, my name is
Milton Butts. I am old and acquainted
with the neighborhood for over
thirty-five years. I maintain an office
for the practice of medicine at 118
North Walnut for over thirty -five years,
church affiliation, aver thirty -five
years, and I lived in the neighborhood
for six years. I have watched many
ctanges in the neighborhood. I've often
ought if you were to stand on the
corner of Walnut and Washington Streets
and look east on Washington Street, you
could even see the Century Center. It's
a beautiful street. It's just those two
blocks. On the other hand, if you were
t start and came up Washington Street,
west, it's a lovely street until you get
the 1200 and 1300 blocks of
Washington Street. It's like going from
nilght into day.
I' m. here mainly to address the crime in
that area. I've lived in that area,
I' ve watched it for all these years. No
business can exist or operate in that
neighborhood. The only reason I can
operate there is because I've been there
for thirty -five years. That's the only
way I can operate. There are several
obstacles. For example, being a doctor,
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South Bend Redevelopment Cmmission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW " (Cont.)
b. Ccbntinued...
have several of the drug
wesentatives, who represent the
xnaceutical houses. They all come
but they are a little uneasy. They
a little bit fidgety. They try not
show it, but it's there. I found out
: thing, though, and I think I know
: reason why. Women drug
iresentatives seem to be a little more
home. But the reason I think that,
not because they are not afraid, it's
pause, as you know, it's a highly
petitive business. Women are new to
! field. They have to make their
eta. So in order to make their quota,
get you to write prescriptions to
ve their drugs, they just won't show
:ir fear.
And the reason I'm enthused about this
Ccmprehensive Program is for three
reasons. First, it's workable. Second,
it 's plausible. It's not in concrete.
You can adjust it. And third, which is
a major thing, it attacks crime. There
e been other plans in the
neighborhood, but the reason why they
'd not succeed was because they didn't
attack the main issue, which is crime.
rff.at's why it's going to start on
Washington Street. There's rumor that
to build houses up there, you make
other ghetto. But all remember the
late Jesse Dickinson. He managed the
houses and projects on Western Avenue.
He swore that that was not going to be
another ghetto. He introduced so many
pE le over there to the mop, the pail,
lawnmower, and gave them a course in
hc w to use them. And you either used
th mu, or you got out. And anyone who,
baJk in the fifties and sixties, can go
by Chapin Street now and that's a far
from what they had when I came in
1953. And with this program the same
can happen. This program can be
asset to the cm mnity. One thing
-29-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "INESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
. then I'll be finished. Another
blem. You can't sell any property
re. Down on Walnut Street, on the
ner of Walnut and Colfax, we have two
ely homes that you could market. If
y were in any other area, you could
ket those. You can't do it. One
.y now is in a nursing home. She
ds the money. But she cannot sell
home. This program, or plan, will
a long way to eliminate such things
that. Thank you.
. Nimtz: We'll take one more speaker
favor of this Plan and then we'll
art to hear opponents.
uvenia Cain: Mr. Nimtz and IOUVENIA CAIN
REdevelopment Commission. I am Louvenia
Cain and I've lived in the community for
thirty-five years. When we bought our
home there, it was convenient to have
everything we wanted because of the
stores and so forth. And since then it
gone down and I'd like to read to
you what it was then and what it is
On the north side of Washington
Street we had a bakery shop, St. Vincent
de Paul Society, a grocery store, a drug
ore, three doctors, MD, and one
dentist. And we had the Willis Liquor
Store or carry -out. You bought your
liquor and whatever you were going to
buy and you got in your car and went
auay with it. We had a cafe. We had
cleaners. We had a variety store. We
had a bowling alley. We had a paint
re. We had Sandocks Furniture Store,
a 5hoe repair shop, a florist store, and
thB Post Office, and an insurance
ag mcy. And now on the north side, we
ha e a liquor store and a body shop and
a mrbecue cafe who sells barbecue in
evenings. On the south side thirty
ye n7s ago, we had the Nyikos Tavern, a
gr)ceteria, a lounge, the union hall, a
hat1ware store, Happy Days Tavern, and
-30-
South Bendel Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
F'F
b. Continued...
plunber. Now we have 'Lil Johnny,
some other business that I don't
a what it is, but I can see a lot of
ale standing around on the outside.
I'm urging you to consider what
've just heard, because it tells you
West Washington is now, and
cider what we have said tonight and
B us a favorable vote. Thank you.
Nimtz: I see Mr. Crank here. I'm F. JAY NIMTZ
e there are other cohorts of his. Is
re any plan of speakers here? We'd
pleased to hear from you.
Jaies Crank: I'm here representing JAMES CRONK
my f. My name is James Cronk and my
1 residence is 1235 West Washington,
the vacant lot, demolished by wonderful
neighbors, the Near Westside group, the
South Bend Heritage group, neighbors
thit I really don't want to associate
With, and I don't want them in my
neighborhood and in my business area as
customers. Therefore, as a owner of
pin Yperty in the area, as a legal
resident in a vacant lot, I will do
ev (mything in my power to make sure that
s plan does not come off. And I
WOILLd ask that the Commission table this
un it they look into the legal aspects
of 1) this is located in an Enterprise
Zone. Has this been to the UEZ yet?
You have a federal Enterprise Zone
application pending. Have you looked
into what effect this has? I've
J li tend through all of your general
'p meetings, a stacked deck.
really, I find, after two years of
ing to attend as many as I can, that
th y're really a stacked deck.
Prc-Udulent, misrepresentation, and a
bur Ch of liars. And, as I see it,
you're also the biggest thieves, bigger
the thieves on the street. You're
like the savings and loan
ex4cutives who steal from all the
-31-
South Bend Redevelopment Ccmission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
Trigs and loans and then ask the
payers to bail them out. Now, the
fit for the merchants on the
2et ... we've stated our plan, which is
ple ... retain all buildings, with the
sption of maybe one or two. And we
ad for technical advice on rehabbing
buildings and everything was turned
i. Nobody listened. You neighbors
B your awn plan. 'That's what this
1 is. A Near Westside Neighborhood
i. I don't know where South Bend
itage is at today. They used to be
)lved in heritage of historical homes
areas and buildings. They've had
Sandocks building now for two years,
h Mr. Gilbert stood in front of the
ity Comrnissioners and took it off the
sale because they could do something
1 it. Mr. Gilbert hasn't done
ping with it, except gone to an
ineer now anddsays that it would cost
much to fix it up, therefore we can
it down. Now maybe that decision
1't been made, but if that cost
ire comes in at less than $100 per
ire foot, then maybe you ought to
ib the building. Maybe you ought to
the new museum that everybody is so
i in- the -sky about down in the
locks building at a far less cost
i the $7,000,000 that you're
)using. And then we'll have some
:orical tourists cane down on West
ungton. And you can forget your
I issue on building behind the Oliver
-ion. I think the Oliver Mansion
stand on its own as a tourist
:action. It doesn't make people
id up here and say economic
!lopment. And housing, housing is
economic development. It creates
ctruction jobs tei porarily, and then
are gone. And your proposing in
i A to tear down connercial space.
housing. That's absurd. Wherever
attitude is coming from, and it's
-32-
South Bendel Redevelopment Commission
Rescheduleq Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
RE
b. Cc}ntinued...
ding from ... I hope it's not coming
mt the Commissioners ... you take office
ce, land down on LaSalle Avenue, and
housing up. Now if the city wants
put housing up so everybody can live
e and commute to their j obs in
hawaka, Elkhart, Niles, Benton
bor, St. Joe, Bucharman, Plymouth,
n fine. Keep putting your housing
On the industrial side, I notice that is
only phase two or phase three. It is
too bad that the industrial isn't pushed
first ' and also the park needs to be, in
my opinion, downsized so that smaller
inesses can be attracted. Acre and a
f sites to two acre sites does not
at ct as many potential owners as half
a sites or acre sites. With all the
inesses around there, that area can
be a viable total comiexcial district,
up into Elm Street. With the Hansel
Ce,iter in there. In the future,
someday, renovation, probably another
twenty years of the Natatorium. The
C13.rk Funeral Home. Those are all
corpatible to a commercial district.
No a housing district. I would ask the
Comuission to send this back to the
and have them work with us on
Alternate I of the Plan and forget
Al ernate II on housing. It sounds like
it Is a sweet deal for all the investors
an I the people who are putting the
'partnerships together. And, while
th 's no federal money involved, the
estors will get a tax credit off
th it federal tax return. Thanks.
Mwdne Ellison: Mr. Nintz, I may be out MAXINE ELLISON
of order, but I cannot sit here and not
sa3, anything.
Mr Nimtz: I'll have time for
re4uttal. OK? Any further opposition
to the plan.
-33-
F. JAY NIMTZ
South Bend Pedevelopment ConmKission
Rescheduled Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "= (Cont.)
b. Continued...
by Newbill: Good evening. Thank BOBBY NEWBILL
K, Commissioners, for this opportunity
speak, and people in the audience,
listening. My name is Bobby
►bill. I'm a minority entrepreneur in
1300 block of West Washington
eet. My family is a family of
Finesses in the 1200 block of West
hington Street since 1960. We were
of those businesses that developed
West Washington Street, yet we did
leave. We're still there and we're
)ing now for progress and our
itinued existence along West
b ngton Street. It is unfortunate
Lt Ms. Braboy and Mr. Ellison support
RP, therefore asking for our
Koval. In Mr. Ellison's case, we say
mother influenced his decision. As
Dr. Butts, whose side would he be on
his business was up for demolishing.
the minority conmercial business and
perty owners of 1200 and 1300 West
,hington Street, would like to make a
nt perfectly clear. We do want a
nge. But we want to be part of that
nge on West Washington. We are tired
blight and crime. And we alone stand
I we, alone, are not responsible for
slum appearance of our cannercial
strict. We can only take same of the
Mme. Some neglect rests with the City
I some neglect lies with the resident,
ressful majority contractor. I would
e to pass these pictures to the
amissioners to show them the neglect
caused by the City and/or a major
ority contractor. We feel that any
vitalization along West Washington
-eet should most naturally have the
.sting business as a vital part of
t effort. After all, the Mayor
ently stated on TV that the City's
:ention along the Studebaker Corridor
to preserve the existing businesses.
can't we, then, have this same
atment. We note, as the only
-34-
South Bendel Redevelopment Conmiission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Cdbntinued...
difference between West Washington and
S1 udebaker Corridor, is that one group
iA black and the other is white. We
feel that if we are totally evicted from
oi r conmiercial district, then surely
ere is discrimination. We have sought
to work with WWCRP as business people,
bt t we have found them to be very closed
their attitude. Our opinion and
ic eas have met a lead door when it comes
to working things out with WWCRP. We
nc to that positive remarks have been
given to non profit groups who strive
f r c oumunity revitalization projects,
bt t, as always, there are some bad
s with the .good. In our case the
bc-d is that long standing minority
businesses are being forcefully moved
We ask, "Where's the benefit to
e overall conmmnity when the
instream of the neighborhood is
eliminated. 11 The only benefit we can
see by our eviction is that one day we
will drive through West Washington
Street and see its beauty, but we won't
any property or be there. We state
to Redevelopment that, surely, the
ccam-mity is not entirely, nor near
tirely, behind the WWCRP proposal. We
have over 600 signatures against the
demolition of West Washington. At one
particular Redevelopment meeting I
attended, I informed the Commission that
e casunity was not behind WWCRP's
pioject. The Comission stated that
tl7ey would send the WWCRP proposal back
to their lap if the c cmnunity is not
behind this project. Well,
Ccmissioners, we state by proof of our
petitions that there is not consent for
demolition of Newbill's Barber Shop,
R zell's Ribs, Owsley's Liquor Store, S
& J Lounge, nor Newbill's Construction
Ccmpany. So we ask you, Redevelopment,
tc not accept WWCRP's plan. We
c�wlude, that we are not being
towards the change. We are
-35-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Rescheduled Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW =INESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
a
y doing what we have to do to
serve our businesses. For your
'ormation, Commissioners, the effected
dness owners are senior citizens.
re is there protection? Must I be a
lel citizen, a business entrepreneur,
king hard and long until I am 65 and
n have the younger residents and/or
City to eliminate me from my
.cessful way of life? And must I drop
d or tear dawn my home or my business
:ause of crime and drugs. South Bend
.t not adopt a policy that destroys
yes, businesses, because of a social
blem as crime or drugs. Again we say
you, Commissioners, do not accept the
PP plan, but encourage them to work
id in hand with the affected minority
;finesses. Thank you very much.
. Nimtz: Thank you. Anyone else in F. JAY N=Z
position? The Chair hears none.
.lis Hughes: I just want to speak for HO=S HUGHES
elf. I've heard everybody talking
Yut thirty -five years. I'm Hollis
hes, Sr. And I've lived on the west
le for over forty years and I still
,e on the west side: 414 N.
idebaker. I'm a property owner, and I
Lr them talking about what's going to
pen, the plans they have. I'm not
posed to doing somethfing to West
hington. But I've had mixed
itions. And I'm just going to speak
what I have mixed emotions on. I'm
ng to let the rest of it go. When I
r the young man over here, Newbill,
ak of his business, his mother, and
ley, and the old liquor store, the
ern down there which is sore eyes.
. that's those peoples' business. I'm
ormer businessman, too. On the west
e. Maybe some of you don't know
thing about it. I ran a grocery
re for about thirteen years. I went
of business, because I wanted to go
-36-
South BenddlRedevelcpment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BU=S (Cont.)
b. Ccbntinued...
of business, because my boys went to
.ege and I wasn't going to hire
. I couldn't get the right kind of
back in that day, so I closed it
Ass far as crime, crime is all over the
world. And by building new buildings, I
don't think we'll have any effect on
crime. I've seen it move from Chapin
Street, let's go back to Chapin, to
Washington. Just look in your back
I don't care where you live, it's
ere. You may not see it, but if you
just look in the mirror, it's there.
I 's hitting homes that's never thought
o it before.
if we're going to do something, try
do it the right way. Let's really
isider those people that want to stay
xe and want to keep their business
:re. Give them an opportunity. I
Lr you talking about saving the
idocks building, and I call it a
ikyard Slutsky's over there, across
street. If your gonna tear down,
:'s eliminate it and wipe out the
►le thing. My very good Dr. Butts, he
LIdn't have put it any plainer than
t he said. He couldn't stay there,
y reason he's there is because he's
n there thirty -five years. They all
w Dr. Butts. I've been here forty
rs. No wonder: obviously they know
lis Hughes. I'm not against. I hope
t we can work out, I'll say "we". I
i property all up and down
hington. All over on the west side
Washington. Probably more than
one ever realized. But, I'd like to
. it.
they tore dawn Linden School, I
we was on our way out. I was
;ed to that. They holler about kids
h1t get an education there. My
-37-
South BenddlRedevelopment Co mission
Rescheduled Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
bc ys finished there. They all were
ecucated. You can get it anyplace.
This started long time ago. It's a
conspiracy to get rid of certain areas.
I do know that myself. You never
mention it. You know that, too. So,
1 is try to not make the same mistakes
w have made for years. Let's make up
our mind that let's leave it a little
b't better for the young generation
is coming along. Hey, we're going
to make it. Our time is gone. We just
here on borrowed time.
I hope you Commissioners, I look up
ere, I know just about everybody up
ere on it. I've worked with the most
o them up there, on a different side of
tl7e fence. I look over here, I see
e erybody, I know people. Let's make it
good. Don't think about self. Think
about the young generation. If you
dc n't have any, you got grand kids. Or
you got some grand ones you'd like to
e. They may not be here, but they
happen to get in here. And for the
H itage Foundation, let's say what I
f Let's don't get off in something
W1 really won't be proud of. You're
doing a beautiful job what you're
doing. last time I was at a meeting, I
estioned you about something. I will
cantinue to do that, because I think
you're getting in the wrong territory.
you.
Kaxine Ellison: I'm Maxie Ellison. I NDINE ELLISON
live at 1008 West Colfax and I just
could not sit and not say a thing. I
pr3test the insult that was made to the
Bc ! Every one of our citizens on the
ge3tside had a chance to get in on the
fl r. But they didn't. Now that we
e a Plan, everybody, well not
averybody,'there are some that want to
r,ay that we didn't do this and we didn't
3o that. We tried to consider the whole
-38-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BMINESS (Cont.)
b. fdntinued...
ccnmunity. Tried to get you in. And
you know you, if you don't get in with
i , well, for me, I felt like my back
was pushed up against the wall. That's
wt y I joined the Board. I fight back.
I do. When I feel like the west side
wasn't getting its share, I said this is
my time to put my foot in the door, and
I'm going to do it. So that's what
've been doing. We've been meeting
'ghts, mornings, evenings, and it's not
fir to let somebody get up here and
insult me! I'm speaking for me! Insult
ine! I feel like you can remonstrate
without getting personal.
James Cronk: Just a rebuttal of the JAMES CRONK
r(huttal. I am sorry that you people
hc ve such thin skins. I have gone to
tings and Mr. Gilbert gets up and
tk en wants everybody to get up and sign
a petition that we want to tear down my
building and Neil Gilbert asks everybody
ere to please sign this petition
because we want his buildings down. The
ot her thing that I have heard through
tl7e last two years of the lies, the
misrepresentations, the double, the
h isy of people getting on TV and
ying one thing and in the meeting the
nExt day they say totally the opposite
to, get their view ]yam. I think
e eYybody needs to re -look and be a
little more sensitive of what's going on
the area and, as Mr. Newbill
indicated, and I indicated, we're there,
we're going to participate in the rehab
o the West Washington Commercial
District and you're invited to join us,
or we'll fight you right dawn to the
bcttart building.
Works: Just a couple of technical CARL WORKS
s. I don't think Neil has ever
ed a petition to ask that
ody's building be torn down. With
d to the petition that was put
-39-
South Bend pedevelcpment Conm►i.ssion
Rescheduleq Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
:P
b. Cdntinued...
th by Mr. Owsley, and endorsed by Mr.
bill and Mr. Cronk, in reading that
:ition and having the opportunity to
rn it, I declined to sign it.
ever, I would have signed it had I
been aware. I was aware that they
e going to use it out of context.
wording of the petition is such that
one in the neighborhood thinking
arly would sign. It's not a petition
opposition of our Plan, it's just a
:ition saying they are in opposition
crime and urban blight. And we're
in opposition of that.
h regard to the personal attacks,
y really aren't necessary. Mr. Crank
Mr. Newbill and Mr. Owsley all have
les of the Plan. They have declined
read them thoroughly. And they've
en selfish interest and decided they
en't able to further their selfish
erest through the Plan or through
oming part of the process. And they
now trying to bring it down with
sonal attacks and it's really not in
d taste.
closing, I'd like to say that when
a Titanic went down there were
Dbably people willing to stay with the
tanic. We're not willing to do that.
're looking for our life raft, and our
Ee raft, or part of it, is this Plan.
is Plan will inflate the raft for us
3 make it possible for us to move with
r children and for our children into
a future, into the year 2000 to make
City of South Bend the kind of place
it the Mayor of South Bend asked that
work for it to be.
. Newbill also needs to talk with
her members of his family he is
leging to represent. Members of his
mily that, only as late as today, have
moils
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BU=S (Cont.)
b. C6ntinued...
dorsed our Plan and have cone on
ard, so to speak. He would find out
he would talk to his mother that they
e now not being removed from West
shington Street, but simply
located. Or they've asked to be
located to another spot on West
shington Street and the group is
rking with them. If they would look
our Plan, or if people that are
posed to our Plan would take time to
ad it or have someone read it to them,
ey would realize that no one is asking
relocate anybody away from Washington
reet. We want to work with everybody
3 keep everybody involved in the Plan,
pause without you we don't have
ything anyway. We want you there.
'd be happy to keep you there.
Cc 'ssioners, I hope you realize that
part of the reason why the opposition is
le to be as vocal and as strong as
tl7ey are is because we've given them
tiat opportunity. Had we not done that,
I don't think they could be as vocal or
strong as they are.
Je f Gibney: I would just like to make JEFF GIBNEY
a few brief comments, in particular to
respond to the comments of Mr. Hughes,
Sy., about his urging the West
Washington-Chapin Street group to work
with and support legitimate businesses
t±at currently exist on West Washington
St reet. I would like to clarify and say
tl at from my position, and I think many
pE le on the WWCRP Board, that we are
encouraging the demolition of all
U. ese commercial structures because we
are trying to eliminate crime. That is
the case. If the case was simply
cz , then it would be, certainly, my
goal and my encouragement to the WWCRP
to work hard with the City
administration, the Police Department,
ancl organize all to help eliminate crime
in that neighborhood, and physically
ilitate those buildings.
-41-
South Bendel Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW DWINESS (Cont.)
b. Wntinued...
I do not blame Mr. Newbill or several of
e other merchants within that
neighborhood for being solely
responsible for bringing crime to the
West Washington area. It has become a
place that is notorious for crime. For
scme peculiar reason it has been
tolerated in that neighborhood and it
been for the last thirty years and
w all know that.
I want to say is we have discovered
at in the last few years, from our own
actical experience, that the
ighborhood is too far dilapidated.
ose are the simple, most important,
its from my perspective, about what's
ing on on West Washington Street. We
Dw fram a very recent experience in
habilitating structures on Chapin
reet, in very similar condition, that
a cost to renovate those buildings is
tween $50 and $70 per square foot.
at is equal to the cost of new
nstruction of One Michiana Square,
aantown. And if it wasn't for a
bstantial subsidy for the clinic on
spin Street, about $65,000 in the form
grants from philanthropy, that
ilding would not have been
Zabilitated. Mr. Hughes, South Bend
ritage is in the business of
Bserving buildings. That is our first
Ace and that is how we prefer to
Ztinue to see this neighborhood. It
not economically feasible on West
5hington Street. It is our expertise,
]now that, and I would say we ]now
!it for a fact. The buildings have
en void of substantial reinvestment
r twenty or thirty years, and the cost
construction has grown
)stantially. So the reason, from our
rspeetive, that the neighborhood needs
have a physical change, is because
a neighborhood has fallen dawn. And
told you earlier, 60% of the
-42-
South Bendel Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "INESS (Cont.)
ildings are vacant and they are vacant
;cruse nobody can afford to
:iabilitate those buildings. We are
a, right now, wrestling with same of
a buildings on the East Race, where,
mainly, the rent per square foot is
ing to be triple what it will be down
West Washington Street. And right
a the Redevelopment Commission is
astling with the notion that buildings
have to be taken over by other
,relopers, or even potentially
polished. So I would like to dispel
a myth that we are simply tearing down
ildings because of the crime factor.
're tearing them down because the
ighborhood is severely dilapidated.
does not present an image that will
tract other developers to our
ighborhood and when we run numbers,
:)ple will need to spend about $15 a
care foot in rent and that is equal to
it people pay to be in 1st Source Bank
i One Michiana Square. And I don't
ink that's going to happen.
Nimtz : I'm going to interrupt this F. JAY N=Z
meeting right now so that we're all
clear what the redevelopment process is,
I' m. going to ask Ann Kolata, our
Director, what the procedure is so that
're all clear as to what happens after
's evening.
Kolata: There've been a number of ANN KOLATA
Lents here today, both from people
sorting the Plan, saying please adopt
and froan people opposing the Plan,
ng please don't adopt it. And I
ik it would be fair to talk about
:, and also to talk about what
yens to the businesses that are out
e, if their building is acquired,
what the redevelopment process
elves. As was stated earlier, the
Washington- Chapin neighborhood
p came to the Redevelopment
-43-
South BenddlRedeveloment Commission
Reschedul Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
b. O$ntinued...
Cc 'ssion and said, "We want to be a
RE development Area." This was two or
and a half years ago. "But please
don't make any decisions on acquisition
til we get involved in the planning."
Vtat you're hearing tonight is a
piresentation of the Plan that has been
developed by the neighborhood group.
's is somewhat contrary to what we
have ever done in the past. In the
past, it's been Redevelopment's staff
tl7at has developed the Plan, or
consultants to the Redevelopment staff
tl7at have developed plans. We've had
irput, and we like to pride ourselves on
e fact that we ask for input. But
is is really the first time that we
have served as staff to a neighborhood
and tried to expedite some of the
discussions and some of the paperwork.
It really is a neighborhood plan that is
being presented here today. The
Redevelopment Commission is listening to
everythintj that is being said and has
not made a decision one way or another
hc &T they are going to proceed. If they
ch Dose to follow the Plan and the
r tions for acquiring property
if they do do that, that means that
th y are not only accepting the
ticns to acquire property, but
to relocate whoever is there, whether it
be a homeowner or a business that's in
that property, and then to demolish the
building. There's two things that need
to be talked about. one is the process
that they would have to go through.
They can not amend their Plan to add
properties to the list of property to be
acTAred without having a number of
thLrxgs done: survey work, title work,
ani appraisals of the property. So, if
tha Commission were to go ahead and
a rove of the Plan that is presented
h this evening, that would probably
be I the next step. Not that they would
of icially adopt the Plan, but that they
-44-
r�
South Betel Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
3
b. Continued...
ld take the next step to order the
k to be done, to order the
caisals, and to get those values so
t they would be in a position to
nd the plan. The schedule that was
the board was a hypothetical
edule, but it was a realistic
edule, based on a presentation of the
n tonight, the Commission making a
:ision to go ahead, and if they did go
ad, then it would take several months
get that work all lined up. If the
evelcpment Co mnission makes that
,ision, decides to go ahead and
ides to acquire property, as I said,
businesses in there would be
I think it's in everyone's best interest
that neighborhood businesses stay within
the neighborhood. The Redevelopment
staff would have the obligation of
working with those businesses, and I say
businesses in this case because that's
primarily what we are talking about.
But if they were homeowners or tenants,
we would have the same obligation. We
wcild have the obligation to work with
people and provide financial
bdvefits to help them go through the
reLocation process. We're not trying to
enrich anyone. We're also not trying to
ch?at anyone. What we're trying to do,
th�ough the federal regulations that we
hare to abide by, is to make the cost of
move be borne by Redevelopment as
to be borne by the business.
Ani to put that business owner,
tioPefully, into a situation that is a
better condition, but the same or
similar economic condition that they are
in right now. It's to Redevelopment's
interest to have business relocated
inj the West Washington area.
, someone could choose not to
in the neighborhood and they
-45-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "INESS (Cont.)
3 say "I don't want to continue at
location. I want to move to
.", and we'd still provide the same
ration benefits. But generally
ever they want to move, we would
with that business or property
r to help them find a new location.
other option, is that the
development Commission does not decide
go along with the Plan, and that is
Slv for them to decide.
Carol Collins: Good evening. My name CAROL COLLINS
is Carol Collins. I'd like to make it
clear, first of all, that I am not a
member of the WWCRP. I am not a member
o any of the organizations that have
represented themselves here tonight, but
I am a concerned neighbor. I live on
Jackson Street, a block off Western
Avenue. I bought a house in the west
because it is where I could afford
tc i live. I am here tonight because I am
cc ncerned about the near west end
ne ighborhood. Blight is a cancer and it
reads. The west end neighborhood is
n t that far from my house. It takes
five blocks of me driving for me to be
at the corner of West Washington and
We lnut Street. I am not afraid to drive
that neighborhood. Probably I should
but I am not. The trickle -down
affect works for everybody. And I am
that people in opposition to
this do not see what the area that they
are involved in is causing to my area
and the areas around West Washington.
I
ieard several tents made tonight
)ut my area which were not true, by
way. We are surviving just fine.
are not a Polish neighborhood
.more. We are very racially mixed.
are socially mixed,
:io- econanically mixed. I am very
:isfied with that for my
�11-v
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "INFSS (Cont.)
neighborhood. I am proud of where I
live. I do not want to see what
ppened in the neighborhood we are
talking about happen in my neighborhood.
I am also a small business owner and
consider myself a minority: I am a
single parent. I worked hard for the
ney that I bought my home with. I
Would be willing to locate a service
bLsiness in the West Washington area if
these Changes were made. In the present
condition, I wouldn't touch it. There
is, no money for me to be made there.
ere is no money for anyone in my type
of business to be made there. I own a
iEd ipirm salon which would service the
le who live in that neighborhood. I
employ people frown that
borhood who have the skill to
those services.
I don't understand why the opposition
keeps worrying about the relocation.
With money that they would get from
the acquisition of their property, they
wculd have the right, as any individual
d who works for a living, to reinvest
their own property. And, therefore,
, fit.
I on't know what powers the Board has,
as far as carrying this plan out. I'm
tr�ing to understand with your
explanation. But I hope that whatever
yoLi can do to adopt this plan, you do it
quickly, because the longer it takes
to start redevelopment, the more the
blight spreads. And Crime might be
na tionwide, but in our area, it is a
trie problem. It is our neighborhood I
am concerned about. Not Chicago, and
no Detroit. And not what happens in
Ka diington, D.C. Thank you very much.
x Owsley: I want to say one thing. FELIX OWSLEY
West Washington Revitalization
-47-
South Bend IRedevelopment Commission
Reschedule Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW =INESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
a
i
i
)3ect Inc. went to the NAACP. We were
.led in. We didn't know they went.
went in on a Friday night. They
.tend to our program, what we
sented. That Monday they called us
.k. Said bring in all your papers and
rythi.ng. So they must have thought
had same kind of grievance. So
is where that stand with the NAACP.
Ay, couple of weeks ago I received a
ter from HUD, from Indianapolis,
ling me that they are waiting for a
ply to be sent to me and to them from
Mayor concerning this program.
se two things.
. You talk about dilapidated
ildings. You might not like the
ilding that I have, but I only built
at building two years ago. Don't have
y codes, to bring it up to code, it's
ready up to code. You might not like
a looks, but I'm scheduled under their
ogram for demolition. When you build
new building, the City doesn't have
ything to do with it. You have to do
1 your business through the state. So
state passed it. But under their
xjram, I'm for demolition. What is
air reason why. They might not like
. I don't smoke, I don't drink. But
's a business. Every shopping center
s it. So why should I have to move?
money that they are scheduling,
30,000, for, to buy up, to tear down,
By could give Mrs. Newbill, anybody a
ant, to beautify their front. Those
Vle live up over their business. Why
7ul.d they have to move. Just like Mr.
3hes said: we're being pushed from the
ier end.
the Board of Directors, there's only
eteen of them. The membership is
s than a hundred. I presented
re. 193 people in that area, right
and there, don't want demolition,
mom
South Bend I Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedulej Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW EWINESS (Cont.)
b. C6ntinued...
regardless of what Mr. Works said. What
y 're taking is might, because they got
better education, make more money, is
going to be superceded by the people who
iE from the lowest income. We're not in
a different country. So, we're seeing
that every day on television. If you
v to on one person, one vote, we should
win. Simple as that. We want it to
work, to improve. But why, north, over
here on Western Avenue, you got the
LEurel Ct., boarded up, 95% not
occupied. Why take that money and try
to build homes here when you could
re habilitate those homes over there.
y talk about law income, medium
mme. And another thing, they
jected, under their schedule, that
th Bend in 1992 will be only 96,000
ple. If they are going to go down
n 110,000 down to 96,000, some people
it need any homes then. As I have
3 before, why tear down business to
Ld homes when you got all the vacant
I. You wouldn't do it anywhere
B. If you had enough space in your
t yard, you wouldn't tear down your
5Lge to put another garage ten feet
r. Thank you.
Hockman: I feel that I really need SUE HOC[Z,N
say something. I came to the west
le four years ago and I came because I
.t I had no other place to go. I
sight that I could not afford a house
place else. A nice home.
Mr� Nimtz: For the record, would you
gi a your name and address, please.
Hockman: I'm Sue Hockman and I live
jht in the heart of the west side at
>.2 West Jefferson. When I came, my
her had become ill and I had to take
:i in and the Welfare had asked me to
-49-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW WAINESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
my godchildren in, because they had
be en beaten by their father. I needed a
hc use with some bedrooms, and I needed a
decent home, and every place I looked I
could not afford what was decent or what
I could afford was miserable. And I
la-ew a person who rented a house over
he e and she asked me to come over and
it. That's where you go and you
11 up your windows and you lock your
doors. That's not any place for a
single woman with some children to be.
BLt she convinced me to come here, and
we came I saw mansions. We came down
Washington and I saw mansions. And all
e way up to my home were nice homes.
And I began to think, "Well, this isn't
bad." , And when I saw the house it
was beautiful. Formal dining roam. And
I could afford it. I thanked God for
it. and I took it.
We
3 when I brought my father here, he
irate. How could I bring him into
Ls black neighborhood? He had never
m around black people before. He was
�k. And when he started to get well,
walked out in front of the house
:ause he was scared to death to walk
?place else. But you know what
opened? When he walked outside, the
ighbors started yelling, "Howdy,
ighbor!" and they came down and asked
n how he was. They knew he was sick.
i he began to love those neighbors,
i next thing I new, he was coming to
very excited and telling me, "You
ow the people who are always sitting
the yard, dawn in the next block?
:y asked me up for lemonade. And the
r next door walked with me on my
k. And the gentleman dawn the street
its to go fishing with me." And he
; me in love with the neighborhood.
all did.
-50-
South Bend I Redevelopment Commission
ResdledL'leq Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "D ESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
I rented. I want you to know that
because of this Plan and because of the
hcpes and dreams that my neighbors told
me about that could come out of this
Plan, I am now buying a house two doors
dcwn. I couldn't have done it anyplace
se. It's another beautiful harm. I
'd it because they said that the
neighbors were interested in banding
tcgether for the first time to have sane
pcisitive things happen on the west
side. And I became neighborhood watch
coordinator and I became a member of the
crime cm ittee, and I had opportunities
to go to every house in my area and talk
tc the people. I now have block captains
at every block that I'm over. I
couldn't get two people two years ago to
be interested enough to do anything.
Itey're interested, they're excited,
they've got hope again. And I
personally feel that if this Plan is not
passed, the hopes and dreams of my
rielghbors are going to be gone. And
they feel that there will not be another
:) rtunity.
Nimtz asked the Commissioners if
,had any questions.
Auburn: I can't think of any PAULA AUBURN
ions that I have. I've read the
fairly thoroughly, and I've
ned to the comments. I have some
ical questions that I want the
to look at.
Mr Nimtz: The procedure, I presume, if F. JAY NIWZ
we follow the usual situation, that the
Coinission will refer this to the staff
for study and recommendation to the
'ssion. I don't know how long that
w#1 take, but, is that the procedure
t you want to follow?
Doncho: I'm a little confused on MIM DONOHO
demolition issue. I'd like to have
-51-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW UINESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
: clarified. I'd like to know what
addresses are that are proposed for
lition, at what stage.
i Kolata: We have the information at ANN KOLATA
office. As I said, from reading the
n, you don't have specific addresses
what will be acquired and
tolished. You have drawings that show
r buildings in place of existing ones
vacant lots. And you don't have an
Lct list of what are you asking the
development Commission to acquire.
Donoho: Can you provide that?
Works: The reason the list is not CARL WORKS
of the Plan is that the Plan that
have before you now is a final draft
this draft wasn't completed until
: recently. 'There were some
;ni.cal changes that needed to be
:, so that list could not be
irporated in the Plan you have before
but that list is available. I
;s your office has it.
Kolata: Dave Norris has it and has ANN KOLATA
a map that goes with it, so we will make
ttat available to the Commission.
. Nimtz: Let me make a few closing F. JAY N=Z
n Tents . I want you to know that,
rst of all, I used to quote some
litical maxims to the Commission, and
on. When Jerry Miller called me
fteen years ago and said he was going
put me on the Redevelopment
=Lssicn, and I said, "Yes," I said,
erry, I don't intend to end up in the
aitentiary with this job." The maxim
, that when you take federal money,
Li take them there federal regulations,
ether it be welfare, highways,
acation, or redevelopment. We are
ry rigidly directed by HUD as to what
can do and what we can't do, and so
-52
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW "INESS (Cont.)
b. Cdntinued...
no member of the Redevelopment
mission has been indicted or
estigated. No director, and I've
n a series of them, including Carl
ison and Lloyd Taylor and Pat
fahon, and so on, no Redevelopment
ector has been investigated or
acted. The Commission has directed
t everything be according to the
ulations and the law. We don't try
fudge on anything.
with that background, I want you to
ow that this neighborhood is very
:vial to me. My Uncle Otto used to
i a drygoods store just west of the
dock building and, for you younger
�ple, there came along about 1920,
0, a thing called the Depression, and
:le Otto lost his drygoods store, and
was a director of the Washington
ate Bank. And, in those days, the
ik stock, you not only put in to buy
Lr stock, but if the bank failed, you
I to put in a like amount. Well,
:le Ot lost his hcmte on Lincolnway
,t. He lost the drygoods store, and
on. So I'm acquainted with that
ghborhood through those days. In
.t, I used to buy candy at the
hington Candy Kitchen. Some of you
Member that, at Walnut and Washington
then, I belong to St. Paul's
iodist Church. I have a brother 90
s old, 17 years older than I am.
can figure out what my age is now.
he was the Boy Scout Master at St.
.'s Church, 1927, 1928, 1929. And
uary 22, 1928, I gave the Scout sign
joined the Boy Scout troup at St.
.s' Church. And in that troop was
Louis Sandock; Al Hans, who later
d Hans House; a young man by the
of Joe Palo, his dad was the
ceman on Chapin Street, a little
-53-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
b. Continued...
st ort, tough policeman, and he ruled
Ct pin Street with his nightstick. If
ycu came harm and said Mr. Palo had
swatted you over the rear end for
sc thing you did, if he caught you, any
y that reported to his folks that Mr.
o had gotten after him, his father
id, "Let's retire to the woodshed."
And things were a lot different then.
I've been a member of St. Paul's Church
er since then. I succeeded the last
Studebaker on the Board of Trustees.
Wcodson Studebaker Carlisle died in 1947
and there weren't any Studebakers left,
so I got elected to the Board of
T�ustees of St. Paul's Church and I've
on the Board ever since. So that
ri�igbborhood is very, very dear to me
I've known about it many, many, many
velar's.
WE thank you for coming; we thank you
for your participation; this is not just
ar academic thing to us. Sandy and I
e at the first meeting, I think, at
S . Paul's Church a couple of years ago
wben this thing got started and
organized. And I refreshed the memory
of everybody then. During the Nemeth
administration, Mayor Pete Nemeth tried
to do something out there and we
coaldn't generate any interest. He had
$5)0,000 that he could have spent out
th and we couldn't generate any
in . So we spent it on the East
So, I want you to know that the
Co 'ssion has this neighborhood at
he and we'll refer it to the staff
for investigation and study. They will
re rt to us and we'll make a decision.
Is there anything else?
Ra nan Piasecki: I can only add that I
am a native of the area and I was born
ab)ut three blocks from the area we are
talking about. So I'm very familiar
wi the area. I can remember going
-54-
South Bend Redevelopment Commission
Resdiedulec.Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989
6. NEW BUE4 INESS (Cont.)
b. Continued...
to the Washington State Bank with my
ther, trying to get some money to
salvage our house. And, so I am very
familiar with the area.
James Cronk: What is the timetable -
you say you are going to refer this to
tI e staff?
Kolata responded that the staff
W E probably report at the next
tins.
7.
There were no progress reports.
8. NEXT CCMMISSION MEETING•
The n Regular Meeting of the Redevelopment
coramisoion is scheduled for Friday, April 28,
1989 ati 10:00 a.m.
U
There ing no further business to cane
before the Commission, the meeting was
adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
=611
JAMES CRONK
. zAiv V of' � .�I �r
NEXT CCMMSSION MEETING
77! V=� Zj��"I'-
Ann E. Kolata, Director
Comprehensive Neighborhood Preservation
and Development Plan
for the
Near Westside Neighborhood
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
Prepared by:
Trkla, Pettigrew, Allen & Payne, Inc.
COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION
AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE
NEAR WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
April, 1989
Prepared by:
Trkla, Pettigrew, Allen & Payne, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Page
I
1. CO DITIONS, TRENDS AND BACKGROUND 3
- Review of existing studies, plans and reports
- Key Person Interviews
Community Workshop
- Field Reconnaissance Surveys and Analysis
- Market Assessment
- Adaptive Re -use Analysis
- Existing Zoning
2.
PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 12
3. DEVELOPMENT PLAN 15
4. REVITALIZATION STRATEGY AND 23
IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM
LIST OF FIGURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Neighborhood
Setting
2. Exiting
Land -Use
3. Development
Plan
4. Washington
Street Development
5. Chapin
Street Development
6. Industrial
Area Development
IM,
Page
2
8
17
20
21
22
THE V
)N FOR THE NEAR WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
The Near "side Comprehensive Neighborhood Preservation and Development Plan (the Plan)
e
is a set of planning and development recommendations to guide the long -term revitalization of
one of the oldest neighborhoods in South Bend.
o Image and Identity. To establish a positive community image based on a high -
quality environment and a convenient and attractive setting for living and work-
ing for people of all races and socio- economic groups.
o Housing. To provide decent, affordable housing in an attractive living environ-
ment for all ages and income groups.
o Safety and Security. To assure safety and tranquillity for all persons living,
working and visiting in the area.
o Jobs and Economic Development. To stimulate commercial and industrial
redevelopment to provide jobs, and local goods and services, supportive of the
residential character of the area.
o Community Facilities and Services. To ensure the provision and delivery of
high - quality services and facilities throughout the Near Westside including
human, governmental, business and social services.
WEST W SHINGTON /CHAPIN REVITALIZATION PROJECT RESOLUTION
At the co elusion of the planning process, and as evidence of its commitment to an aggressive
revitalization program for the neighborhood, the West Washington /Chapin Revitalization Project
Board has passed the following resolution.
of
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
-reas the WWCRP Board is committed to all areas of revitalization of the WWCRP
;hborhood and whereas the WWCRP Board is concerned about the health and welfare
he neighborhood people, therefore be it resolved to:
Insure that a plan is developed to make WWCRP project a drug free area (zone,
etc.);
Develop a comprehensive plan to insure the safety of all WWCRP area residents,
businesses and visitors;
Develop a plan for providing support services to programs for dysfunctional
families;
Increase the economic opportunity for people who live in the neighborhood as it
relates to the redevelopment project by being involved in jobs that are created;
Promote the establishment of clinics to provide medical services, drug and al-
cohol abuse treatment, child and elderly care in the neighborhood;
i
6
7
8
NEIGHS
The revii
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
The revit,
tions affe
neighborh
basis:
9
Seek the funding, through grants, loans and developers to build and /or refurbish
existing dwellings for low and moderate income families;
Promote the development of a plan to provide quality education opportunities
through school and neighborhood -based programs;
Seek revision in traffic flow restrictions to prohibit truck traffic (which runs on
Walnut and Washington).
on effort will seek to build upon the following neighborhood assets:
The history and heritage of the area as a neighborhood of diverse economic, so-
cial and ethnic groups.
The affection and positive feelings that . existing and former residents have for
the area.
The numerous churches representing all denominations.
The Natatorium which once served as the premier recreational facility in the
City.
The West Washington Historic District and the diversity of architecture.
The availability of affordable housing.
The closeness of downtown South Bend.
The commitment to utilize and expand the Oliver House as a major museum
facility.
Recent and on -going investment in historic preservation and restoration, and in
residential rehabilitation.
The commitment of neighborhood residents and the strong "sense of community"
that currently exist.
The many existing and highly organized neighborhood groups including the West
Washington /Chapin Revitalization Project, Inc., South Bend Heritage Foundation,
block clubs, and social service. organizations.
The availability of land for new housing construction, and new commercial and
industrial development.
ization program is designed to address the full range of economic and physical condi-
ting the living and business environments, and the general quality of life within the
,od. It includes the following projects and actions to be undertaken on a continuing
Elimination and prevention of crime as the highest priority project of the City
and neighborhood.
o Continuation and intensification of public relations efforts to promote a positive
image and identity for the neighborhood.
o Continuation and expansion of neighborhood clean -up and property maintenance
efforts.
o Maintenance of sound housing, marketing of vacant buildings, rehabilitation of
deteriorating buildings, and marketing vacant sites for new housing.
o Removal of seriously blighted buildings and redevelopment of sites for new hous-
ing and neighborhood commercial uses.
o Expansion and development of establishments providing opportunities for job
training and employment.
o Maintenance of existing neighborhood facilities and upgrading of streets,
sidewalks and utilities serving the area.
o A highly focused and immediate action program will be implemented in the
Washington Street and Chapin Street target areas. These efforts will begin in the
Washington Street area and will include acquisition of blighted properties, reloca-
tion of businesses and residents, and demolition of buildings for redevelopment
of assembled sites in accordance with the Plan. The objective is to have new
housing and commercial space available for initial occupancy within 18 months
following approval of project financing.
o Completion of the Chapin Street revitalization project will follow Washington
Street as a target area for priority action.
The WWC P, SBHF, neighborhood residents and organizations and the City of South Bend will
work toga her and with the private sector to insure that the Vision for the Near Westside
Neighborh od becomes a reality.
iii
INTRODUCTION
This repot presents the Comprehensive Neighborhood and Development Plan for the Near
Westside 1,4eighborhood of South Bend, Indiana. It includes recommendations for land -use, cir-
culation, public improvements, reuse and rehabilitation of existing buildings, and new develop-
ment projects. It also includes an implementation strategy for carrying out plan and project
recommendations.
The plann ng project was initiated in the Spring of 1988 by the City of South Bend, through its
Departme t of Economic Development, together with the West Washington/ Chapin Revitaliza-
tion Proje t, Inc. (WWCRP), a not - for - profit planning and advisory group, and South Bend
Heritage Foundation (SBHF), a not - for - profit neighborhood development organization. The
Citv retai ed the consulting firm of Trkla, Pettigrew, Allen & Payne, Inc. to assist in this joint
effort. he firm of Applied Real Estate Analysis (AREA) provided assistance in assessing
market po entials. A study committee, comprised of representatives of WWCRP, the South Bend
Heritage oundation, and City representatives, was formed to assist in the planning process.
Background of the Study
The Near Westside of South Bend is one of the City's oldest neighborhoods. The population of
the neigh orhood is predominantly minority and lower income. Like many inner city neigh-
borhoods, during the past several decades the Near Westside has experienced economic disin-
vestment, racial change, physical decline, and a significant crime problem. However, it has
several ass is upon which the revitalization effort can build. Adjacent to downtown, it contains
a National Register Historic District, many active churches, strong neighborhood organizations,
and a dee ly rooted sense of community as well as history. Near Westside residents are en-
thusiastic #bout their ability to build upon their community's assets and reverse the symbols of
decline. igure 1 depicts the location of the Near Westside in South Bend.
The Planning Program
The comprehensive planning program for the Near Westside entailed a three -phase process or-
ganized around a series of working conferences or workshops with members of the planning
task force. The first phase consisted of reviewing previously prepared reports and plans, con-
ducting fi ld reconnaissance surveys, and interviewing "key persons" in the community to obtain
their first-hand perceptions and views. Phase I began with an "issues workshop" during which
members of the task force identified and ranked concerns for further consideration during the
planning process. It concluded with a workshop that set forth goals and objectives for the
comprehensive plan. The second phase entailed the preparation of alternate development
scenarios, along with identification of programs, strategies and resources for plan implementa-
tion. Phase II concluded with the task force's review of the alternatives and selection of a con-
cept and s rategy. The third phase of the program consisted of preparation of the draft plan,
refined th ough a working conference and public meeting, resulting in this final report.
31
Figure I
NEIGHS
Near W
South Bend,
V
r
I -80/90
.
:.:.
�
.... ... .. 20
Western: •' .. :t�` :::;.:: .
I� VI'ESTSIDE
lima
)D SETTING
Neighborhood
' T & DEVELOPMENT PLAN
St. Joseph River
Ccy of South Bend - west Washington- Chapin PL-vitalizacion Project - South Bend Heritage Faudanon
Trt & � men & • Applied Real Estate Analysis
33 _�
CONDIrtIONS, TRENDS AND BACKGROUND
To plan effectively for the revitalization of the Near Westside Neighborhood, it is important to
understand its past and to evaluate trends underway. This section includes:
o Review of studies, plans and reports
o Kev Person Interviews
o Community Issues Workshop
o Field Reconnaissance and Analysis
o Market Assessment
o Ad ptive Re -use Analysis
Review of existing Studies, Plans and Reports
The consu tant reviewed numerous documents and materials provided by the City and South
Bend He ri age Foundation (SBHF), and others obtained independently. These include, but are
not limited to the following:
o Community Development Block Grant Program reports and budgets 1982 -89;
o Market Studies prepared by the Chesapeake Group, Inc. for the Lincolnway West and
Western Avenue retail corridors;
o "Model Cities Program, South Bend, Indiana 1968 -1974, Impact and Analysis," by
Cynthia Miller Haines;
o Citv of South Bend Summary Report - Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory,
1982 as amended;
o Downtown Development Plan - Phase I, Zuchelli- Hunter and Associates, et.al.; and
o Deniographic reports from the U.S. Census Bureau and Urban Decision Systems, Inc.
These resoirces provided useful background information and helped confirm assumptions about
the Near Westside.
Key Person Interviews
Residents of the community, including those who are active in neighborhood organizations as
well as th se who are not, business owners and former residents can provide valuable insight
into the problems and opportunities that exist for the Near Westside community. As part of
Phase I of the Comprehensive Development Strategy for the Near Westside of South Bend, the
consultant interviewed a dozen "key people" to obtain their perceptions about existing condi-
tions, concerns and issues. The individual interviews took place in May 1988, and the responses
to a series of questions are summarized below. The responses represent the personal views and
perceptions of a limited number of people, and should neither be interpreted as findings of
fact, nor as the conclusions or recommendations of the consultant.
1. Whl do you believe Near Westside residents choose the area as a place to live? Is the his -
torn district designation beneficial to the neighborhood, and if yes, would expansion of it
hel the neighborhood?
Res Dondents differentiated between long -term, lower income residents who either chose
the area for its affordability or proximity to transportation lines, and those who have
rehabilitated historic houses. Among the former, several respondents commented that
people, especially senior citizens, feel "stuck" because they cannot obtain a reasonable
price for their houses if they can sell them. With regard to the historic district designa-
tion responses were mixed: some of those interviewed saw it as an overall benefit, but
3
ac nowledged that the benefits have not accrued to the low income residents, while
sev ral others expressed concern that displacement/ gentrification could result. Most
ex ressed no opinion about expansion of the district.
2. Whitt is the overall role and function of the Near Westside relative to the City as a whole?
Most respondents noted that the Near Westside is the oldest South Bend neighborhood,
and that it plays an important role in its history. Several indicated that the area repre-
sents the center of the Black community of South Bend, and formerly, the Polish com-
munity. Others suggested that the area is not important to the City, which has other
priorities.
3. Whl t role could the Near Westside play?
Re pondents were very optimistic about the future role of the area, suggesting that it
could serve as a model of racial and economic integration, and as a model of urban
revival. Several offered specific suggestions, such as: public institutions should be lo-
cal d on Washington Street; the area should provide a mixture of housing, industry and
neip,hborhood commercial land uses; and, that downtown could expand westward.
4. a
R
5. Is
How do you believe others perceive the Near Westside?
Those interviewed unanimously believe that non - residents perceive the Near
Westside negatively, primarily as a high crime, poor, Black area. To that list
others added that the area is perceived as being a bad investment, that it is the
"dumping ground" for the City's social ills, and that the news media help per-
petuate the negative image.
Do you think the South Bend area has enough people who would want to live in a
neighborhood like the Near Westside if something positive happens?
The second part of the question triggered a range of responses from mildly pes-
simistic to mildly optimistic, but all agreed on the need to change the image of
the area, and on the need for a commitment of resources. Several respondents
indicated that middle and upper income people would not choose the area as long
as land is generally available in South Bend, while others expressed concern about
displacement of the poor.
'here a sense of pride among residents of the Near Westside?
Th majority of those interviewed responded with an unqualified, "yes." However,
sev ral thought that neighborhood pride is limited to a small number of long -time or
es ecially dedicated residents.
6. Whl t are the Near Westside's primary assets and advantages?
Th neighborhood's proximity to downtown was the asset most frequently cited, followed
by the historic district or houses available for rehabilitation, the area's institutions, and
its ense of community.
4
7. What are its problems or liabilities?
The majority of those interviewed cited crime, or the perception of it, as the greatest
liability facing the area. Other responses included: the city abandoned the neigh -
bo hood years ago; lack of parks or recreation for youth; the City does not promote its
ho ising rehabilitation programs here; redlining by financial institutions; inconsistent
bu lding code enforcement by the City; unemployment and associated loitering.
8. a. What kind of businesses are needed in the neighborhood?
b. Do you think there is a market for them?
Respondents were fairly consistent with regard to the types of businesses they
would like to have in the area: a quality grocery, drug store, dry cleaners,
laundromat and hardware store were most frequently noted, followed by services
such as a shoe repair and gasoline station. While most indicated a strong
preference for neighborhood -based commercial development, several of those in-
terviewed suggested that retail could serve as a draw to the area for non-
residents. .
With respect to the market, most gave a qualified "yes," with the qualification
being: reduce crime. Several of those interviewed carefully differentiated be-
tween what they thought the area needs and their perception that the market may
not exist.
9. Do you see a potential for new housing in the area? If yes, what type?
Almost all of the respondents saw potential for new housing for lower to moderate in-
corne families on infill lots, along with rehabilitation. Although several suggested that
higher income people would not choose the area, while others expressed concern about
gentrification, there was one suggestion that a limited amount of upscale housing be
colistructed near the historic district. Most indicated a preference for single- family or
ro houses, with a mix of rental and for - purchase. One respondent, however, questioned
th need for any new housing, given the number of boarded -up units in the area.
10. What role should the City play to revitalize the Near Westside?
The majority of those interviewed responded that the City should play a strong leader-
ship role and commit fiscal resources. However, how they perceive the City's commit-
ment differed sharply: several respondents expressed their desired commitment from the
City based on parity with other neighborhoods, while others commented that the City
must make a strong commitment for comprehensive action. One respondent suggested
th t the City provide the funding, but that the neighborhood determine the program.
Fi ally, several commented that the City must enforce the law in the neighborhood to
th same extent that it does in other parts of the City.
11. Otter Comments.
Those interviewed received the opportunity to make additional comments, which in-
cluded: concern that long -term residents are not abandoned; redlining remains a
problem; confidence in the new coalition with the City; a desire to restore the Sandock
Building and the Natatorium; despite numerous programs, the area's crime and other
problems have gotten worse; displacement has not occurred in the area, but is perceived
to e a problem.
5
Community Workshop
The Sout Bend Project Initiation Workshop was conducted by the consultant team on May 5,
1988. Pa tic ipants included the project director, key personnel from the consultant team, staff
working irectly on the assignment, and members of the Study Committee.
The purp es of the workshop were to review the overall project objectives, refine the work
program, esolve any questions regarding contract interpretations, and establish a firm basis for
all partici ants to work together in completing the assignment.
To identify first -hand impressions about the strengths and weaknesses of the Near Westside
Neighbor food, a bus tour was given prior to the meeting. While touring, the consultants took
field notes of participants' on -site observations and perceptions. In addition, a four -part ques-
tionnaire was distributed to each individual at the meeting.
In the qu stionnaire, each participant was asked to:
1) identify the five most important issues facing the Near Westside Neighborhood; the de-
gree of consensus among group members was assessed;
2) identify the one issue he /she thought no one else would mention so that sensitive or
otherwise overlooked issues could be elicited;
3) identify three major assets of the area for determining strengths to be built upon in the
development program; and
4) rank the three most important issues facing the area from a master list compiled with
participants' review and comment.
The resul s of the questionnaires and the discussion from the workshop were tabulated. The
general c tegories of issues identified are similar to those which emerged during the key person
interview . These categories appear as prioritized by the workshop participants:
1. Crime
2. Residents' apathy and sense of pessimism/ hopelessness
3. No capital for projects
4. Lack of investment incentives
5. Poor perception of community by residents and non - residents
6. Ci y administrators' lack of commitment to the area
7. U iemployment in the area
8. Dr ug sales and use
9. DE terioration of the area's environment
10. Ned for clean -up and maintenance
11. R d- lining by loan agencies
12. H rmful effects of zoning ordinances on area
13. Small business failings and closings in the area
14. Falling property values
15. No resident support for education
16. Dismal marketability of area
Field Reconnaissance Surveys and Analysis
The cons
sance sur
ings with
and zonii
iltant team used base materials prepared by the City and conducted field reconnais-
ievs to ascertain the land -use relationships and locations of vacant parcels and build -
n the study area. Also, an urban design analysis and an analysis of land -use conflicts
g conflicts were undertaken. The results of these analyses are recorded on a set of
6l
presenta ion maps used in working sessions with the study committee. They depicted graphi-
cally the area's physical strengths, which include a number of rehabilitated houses and offices
and its xcellent street network, along with its weaknesses, which include the number of
deteriorating structures, vacant structures and lots and incompatible land -uses, such as where
industry abuts a block of single - family houses. (See Figure 2, Existing Laid -Use). A summary
of recon iaissance survey and analysis findings is as follows:
sidential Areas
Residential areas extend from Scott and Taylor Streets on the east to Cherry and Birdsell
S reets on the west and include the residential properties west of Birdsell and north of
ashington Street. The area is predominantly single - family in character with two-
' mily residential uses distributed throughout the area. Multi - family residential build-
ir gs exist in scattered locations. The residential area includes and is well served by
several churches, the Hansel Community Center, and by other public and semi - public
u es. Recreational facilities within the neighborhood are limited to two small tot lots.
Tie Natatorium located on Washington Street was once the premier recreational facility
for the City, but it has been closed for several years.
R cent surveys indicate that the area contains a total of 656 residential buildings. Of
these, 154 are basically sound and well maintained, 276 are deteriorating and in need of
minor repair, 173 are deteriorating and in need of major repair, 35 are structurally sub-
standard and rehabilitation may not be economically feasible, and 20 are vacant and
boarded-up. Although a limited number of scattered vacant parcels exist within the His -
to is District, a large number of vacant sites ranging in size from single lots to one -
q arter and one -half block areas are distributed throughout the remainder of the area.
Significant public and private investment will be required to improve building and en-
vi onmental conditions in the area.
2. M�xed -Use Residential and Commercial Area
The area located at the eastern end of the neighborhood between Scott and Williams
Streets serves as a transition area between the intensely developed downtown area to the
eat and the predominantly low- density residential conservation area to the west. This
area currently contains a wide range or residential, commercial, public and institutional
uses. Growth and development of downtown related uses may lead to replacement of
to er intensity uses within this area in the future. Historic District guidelines should be
pr pared to control the use and design of new development.
3. Colmmercial Areas
Commercial areas on Washington Street and on Chapin Street should be strengthened as
retail and service centers serving the day -to -day needs of neighborhood residents. These
areas are currently characterized by wide- spread deterioration of buildings. Moreover,
close to one -half of the buildings in each area are vacant. The total estimated floor area
of commercial buildings (Washington Street - 107,000 square feet and Chapin Street -
58, 00 square feet) far exceeds existing and future demand for such space.
Th Concept Plan calls for a new neighborhood commercial center to be located at the
no theast corner of Washington and North Walnut Streets, restoring this corner as the
commercial hub of the neighborhood. Existing buildings would be cleared from the site
to eady it for redevelopment.
U
g both Washington and Chapin Streets, the concept plan calls for new consolidated
ing areas to serve the adjacent businesses.
7
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Ina ustrial
Th s district is reasonably weli defined by existing industrial development. The area in-
clu es newer planned facilities such as the O'Brien Paint Company located north of
Washington Street, and a new construction company at the west end of Washington
Str et. It also includes older industrial buildings that range in age, height, size, type of
co struction and condition. In general, the older facilities are characterized by building
obsolescence and a non - competitive arrangement of site access, parking, service and en-
vironmental improvements. Contemporary industrial development in the area south of
Washington Street will require removal of many of the smaller free - standing buildings in
po r condition and replatting of the assembled areas for development as a planned in-
du trial park.
Th Concept Plan for the industrial portion of the Near Westside suggests reassembled
pa cell of 1-1/2 to 2 acres, along with rehabilitation of major industrial buildings. This
area is located within an established Urban Enterprise Zone and Tax Abatement Impact
Am a, and a full range of business development incentives is available to help the area
compete with newer industrial parks.
The Concept Plan suggests that the to- be- assembled parcels be developed as a modern
industrial park served by an internal circulation system. A landscaped perimeter along
West Washington and North Birdell Streets would buffer the area from the adjacent
residential blocks.
5. Public
The public areas identified as part of the plan include the existing Martin Luther King
Jr. Recreational Center and the City fire station. No other major public recreational
uses are proposed. However, the Plan suggests a major gateway feature at the corners of
Western Avenue and Chapin Street.
Market AsIsessment
An impor
for develc
strategies,
projected
complete
previousl}
interview!
1.
ant objective during Phase I of the assignment was to examine the market potential
pment alternatives within the study area. It is essential that proposed development
especially short - range, action - oriented projects, are workable given current and
market conditions. To fulfill this objective, AREA prepared a market overview. The
narket overview, attached as Appendix A to this document, is based on a review of
prepared materials, field examination of the area and competitive market areas, and
with real estate practitioners. Its key conclusions are as follows:
Residential Market
o The real estate category with the strongest potential is residential real es-
tate. The study area is very attractive for low- and moderate - income
families seeking to purchase a first home. The area is also attractive for
low- and moderate - income renters.
o Further investments in both renter- and owner- occupied housing
rehabilitation would benefit the area by making it more attractive and
preserving the housing stock. Given the incomes of area owner -
occupants and renters, continued availability and possible expansion of
public rehabilitation financing programs will be needed to encourage
housing rehabilitation.
0
2
3
Adaptive
o Within the study area's historic district, investment continues in substan-
tial housing improvements. Encouragement of housing rehabilitation by
young families seeking affordable older homes will further stabilize the
Near Westside Neighborhood and strengthen the demand for resales of
renovated homes.
o The feasibility of building new rental or owner - occupied housing in the
study area is limited. Given local construction costs, it is unlikely that
new housing can be built with acceptable sales prices or rent levels unless
major public subsidies are provided. New market -rate units with rents or
purchase prices adequate to cover all development costs would not be
marketable in the study area in the near future.
Retail Market
o Retail development potential in new or rehabilitated buildings within the
study area exists primarily along major thoroughfares such as Lincolnway
and Western Avenue. There is little support for additional retail estab-
lishments in the study area's former commercial concentrations along
Washington and Chapin Streets.
o Given the negative image of these two former commercial concentrations
and the competition for limited study area expenditures, other types of
neighborhood improvements, such as housing improvements, will be re-
quired before additional retail development will have adequate support.
Other Commercial and Light Industrial Uses
o Demand continues for office space in converted older homes even though
interest in converting historic homes to offices has decreased somewhat
due to changes in the federal tax laws.
o A small quantity of light industrial space should be marketable in the
western section of the study area in new and /or rehabilitated buildings.
especially if the rental costs or purchase prices can be kept well below
those in newer industrial areas.
-Use Analysis
The Washington Street area contains 34 commercial buildings, of which 16 are vacant; and the
Chapin St eet area contains 10 commercial buildings, of which 5 are vacant. All of the vacant
buildings ire in deteriorating condition. Successful neighborhood revitalization will require
elimination of existing blighted conditions through rehabilitation or redevelopment.
In additic
revitalizat .
rehabilitat
activity.
selected f,
appear as
0
i to understanding the market forces that affect the potential for commercial
in of the study area, it is also important to assess the economic feasibility of
ng older commercial structures, or adaptive re -use of other structures for commercial
The commercial building at the northwest corner of Washington and Walnut was
r a representative rehabilitation cost analysis. The detailed findings of that analysis
kppendix C to this report, while a summary is as follows:
The sample building is the west storefront unit of a three - storefront building of
two stories height. The second floor of the unit contains two apartments. In
brief, the unit requires an investment of approximately $21,250 for basic exterior
repairs, plus $17,330 for minimal interior renovation to the commercial space, for
10
CO
Existing
Existing
tional di;
most rest
the types
ment hot
The A 1-
borhood.
a minimum total cost of $38,580. These are repairs necessary to put the exterior
of the house and storefront space into basic code compliance. Repairs to the
apartments would cost an additional $36,000 bringing the repair costs to $74,580.
The consultant also prepared a set of rehabilitation options that would upgrade,
as well as repair, the building. The options would cost an estimated $23.00 per
square foot, in addition to the approximate $25.00 per square foot for the basic
repairs. In addition, the consultant estimated costs for repairing the other two
units of the building, which bring the estimated cost for rehabilitating the entire
three -unit building to $219,340. As costly as this may seem, at current construc-
tion costs, the cost for replacing the building would approach $432,000.
Although a detailed review of current market units has not been made, the mini-
mum costs required to support rehabilitation are believed to exceed rent levels
for available space in the neighborhood. The general lack of demand for com-
mercial space suggests that rehabilitation of vacant commercial buildings will not
be economically feasible.
ng
>ning for the neighborhood includes a range of residential, commercial and institu-
-icts. Residential zoning includes three districts, A, Al, and B. The A district is
ctive and permits single - family and related neighborhood uses. Al districts expand
if permitted uses to include two - family residences, and the B district permits apart -
es, boarding and lodging houses, tourist homes, and professional type office uses.
Residential district is most consistent with existing residential uses in the neigh-
r� Commerci 1 zoning includes two districts. The Cl district permits retail and service uses that
are more typically associated with neighborhood service and convenience. A much broader
range of dommercial uses are permitted in the C district, including such auto - oriented uses as
gasoline stations, auto accessory stores, and automobile sales rooms. The C- Commercial district
is no long r appropriate for the Washington Street and Chapin Street commercial areas.
Industrial zoning includes the D, light industrial district, and the E, heavy industrial district.
Future de elopment within the industrial districts will most likely be of a type found within
newer, lig t industrial areas.
Issues tha should be addressed early in the implementation process include the need for changes
in zoning district boundaries as may be required to conform with the Development Plan for the
Near Wes ide Neighborhood and to discourage incompatible land -use relationships.
G GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Achieving agreement on planning goals and objectives is an important part of the comprehen-
sive planning process. Goals and objectives provide the mechanism for transfofming collective
community values into operational statements for future decisions regarding land use, transpor-
tation, community facilities and other component parts of the Plan.
The goals and objectives presented here have been reviewed and endorsed by the task force.
The public at large has also reviewed them, and had opportunity for input at several public
meetings. The goals and objectives that follow have been revised or re- ordered to reflect the
comments of the participants in the planning process.
Definitionlof Goals and Objectives
To be eff ctive, a comprehensive plan must respond to the unique needs, values and desires of
the local Community. A statement of goals and objectives helps codify the community's aspira-
tions by t ansforming collective values into operational statements which will be used to guide
decisions and actions.
Goals and jobjectives each have a distinct purpose in the planning process:
o Goals describe the desired end state toward which the community is aiming. Goals are
broad and long -range in scope. Goals represent an end to be sought, although they may
never be fully achieved. Goal setting, however, represents an important first step
toward implementation.
o Ob ectives establish direction for reaching goals by suggesting the more specific kinds of
act on needed to achieve them. They provide more precise and measurable guidelines
for implementing the plan.
Together, hey indicate the direction in which the community wants to go and what it wants to
become in the future.
The follov ing goals and objectives are organized into six categories: image and identity, hous-
ing, comm nity services, community facilities, transportation and economic development.
IMAGE AND IDENTITY
GOAL: To I establish a positive community image based on a high- quality environment and a con-
venient an attractive setting for living and working for people of all races and socio- economic
groups.
Objectives
Crelate a positive image of the area through regular press releases to regional media.
2. Promote the historic role of the neighborhood through tours, publications, etc.
3. Est blish ongoing programs with lenders, real estate professionals and others to promote
the positive aspects of area.
12
4. Assure safety and tranquillity for all persons living and working in the area.
5. E sure that the physical environment is well - planned in terms of land utilization,
transportation, and community facilities.
6. Dal effectively with all aspects of blight and blighting conditions which negatively af-
fect the area.
7. Build upon the economic, ethnic and racial diversity of the community.
HOUSIN
GOAL: To provide decent, affordable housing in an attractive living environment for
all age and income groups.
Objective
1. Pr vide a balanced housing supply that meets the range of income, family size, and
ownership- tenant requirements of the neighborhood.
2. Achieve an economic mix of housing which stimulates investment and demand while
meeting the needs of low- and moderate - income families.
3. Bing about the rehabilitation of the largest practical number of existing deteriorating
housing units.
4. St mulate the development of new housing on vacant lands and replace badly
deteriorated units where necessary.
5. Provide the widest range of assistance, particularly to low- and moderate - income
families, to achieve the housing goals of the community.
6. Encourage, to the extent possible, homeownership in the area.
7. Eliminate irresponsible absentee ownership in the community.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
GOAL: To assure safety and tranquillity for all persons living and working in the area.
Objective
1
2
3
4
t�
Establish a working relationship between police and community to formulate and imple-
ment a safety and security program.
Eliminate locations within the neighborhood which encourage nuisance and /or criminal
behavior.
W rk with police to establish a special enforcement program on commercial blocks.
G ve special attention to, and develop special programs for, meeting the needs of the
young people of the neighborhood.
13
JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GOAL: To effect community and industrial redevelopment to provide jobs and local goods and
services, compatible with the residential character of the area.
Objectives
1. Pr mote the retention and expansion of viable existing firms and institutions located in
the development area which enhance the neighborhood.
2. Encourage the location of new employers in the neighborhood.
3. En ourage the establishment of new businesses and institutions in the community.
4. Stimulate the increased employment of neighborhood residents in local businesses and
ins itutions.
5. Prc vide the necessary job training programs to residents- which qualify them for upgrad-
ing or new job openings, particularly for the structurally unemployed.
6. Encourage residents to patronize local businesses and institutions.
7. Provide for the development of neighborhood commercial and commercial service
bu inesses to serve the area.
8. Pr vide a sound physical relationship between residential and non - residential uses in the
COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES
GOAL: Tc ensure the provision and delivery of high- quality services and facilities throughout the
Near lVest ide area.
1. Ensure that the neighborhood is adequately served with parks, playgrounds and public
safety facilities.
2. En ourage local pride in existing and proposed community facilities to ensure their
long-term maintenance and quality.
3. En ourage the upgrading and replacement of deteriorated and /or deteriorating public
im rovements and facilities.
4. Ensure that the neighborhood is served by good and well maintained streets, alleys,
sidewalks, curbs, gutters, parkways and street lighting.
5. EnIsure that public safety services are provided equitably to the Near Westside.
14
DE
PMENT PLAN
This chapt r describes the basic development plan that has been prepared to serve as a guide for
the mainte ance and revitalization of the Near Westside area. It includes recommendations for
specific improvements to key blocks on West Washington and Chapin Streets that establish a
framework for ongoing activities and longer -term projects.
A range o features and conditions establish an overall framework within which development
planning for the future must occur. These include certain fixed areas where the pattern of ex-
isting uses and the general condition of buildings is well established and will continue to exert a
major influence over their surroundings in the future. They also include important opportunity
areas, incl ding vacant and underutilized land, which may have significant potential for new
growth an development.
Together, I fixed areas and opportunity areas provide a framework for development planning
within the Near Westside Neighborhood. They determine what kind of new growth and
developmeiit will be possible, where it can be located, and how it should be interrelated. They
define and limit the range of choices and possibilities which can be addressed as a part of con-
cept planning.
The Development Plan presents the mix of new construction and rehabilitation projects selected
by the WW RP Task Force. It includes specific recommendations for the Washington Street and
Chapin Street subareas, and provides a set of future tasks for revitalization of the
neighborhood's industrial sector.
Principles and Standards
The following principles and standards should be used to guide improvement and development
with the N ar Westside neighborhood:
o Exi ting housing rehabilitation efforts should be continued and intensified to upgrade
exi ting building conditions to reasonable standards and to improve living conditions for
people now living in the area.
o Va ant lands should be assembled for new development consistent with land -use plan
rec mmendations.
o Rehabilitation and /or land assembly efforts in the neighborhood should be supported
with public improvements, as required.
o ThE area should be improved aesthetically through landscaping, sodding and /or seeding
of barren areas, and periodic neighborhood clean -ups to remove trash and debris.
o In- ill construction and rehabilitation should contribute to retaining and strengthening
the architectural character of existing buildings.
o Commercial developments should be sensitive to the adjacent and surrounding residential
uses in terms of scale, mass and intensity of use. Special standards should be prepared
for setbacks, lighting, parking, landscaping and signage to ensure quality design ap-
pro riate to the setting, and to help create a image and identity for the area.
15
o dequate off - street parking and loading facilities should be provided for all new com-
er
cial l and multi - family residential developments.
Development Concept
The development concept for the Near Westside neighborhood closely follows the existing
development pattern within the neighborhood, and is generally consistent with the City's ap-
proved Development Plan for the area. The plan contains five land -use categories: (1) residen-
tial housing conservation, (2) mixed -use residential and commercial, (3) commercial, (4) in-
dustrial, and (5) public. The development concept plan is illustrated as Figure 3.
sidential- Housing Conservation Areas
This district is intended to serve as the protected living environment. The area is
predominantly single - family in character with two - family residential uses distributed
throughout the area. Multi- family residential buildings exist in scattered locations. The
residential area includes and is well served .by several churches, the Hansel Community
Center, and by other public and semi - public uses. Recreational facilities within the
n ighborhood are limited to two small tot lots. The Natatorium located on Washington
S reet was once the premier recreational facility for the City, but it has been closed for
s veral vears.
Recent surveys indicate that the area contains a total of 656 residential buildings. Of
these, 154 are basically sound and well maintained, 276 are deteriorating and in need of
minor repair, 173 are deteriorating and in need of major repair, 35 are structurally sub-
standard and rehabilitation may not be economically feasible, and. 20 are vacant and
boarded-up. Although a limited number of scattered vacant parcels exist within the His -
,.� t ric District, a large number of vacant sites ranging in size from single lots to one-
q arter and one -half block areas are distributed throughout the remainder of the area.
The Concept Plan proposes new houses and apartment buildings on Chapin and
Washington blocks to help strengthen the existing residences, and to re- establish the
population density and neighborhood vitality lost in recent years. It also calls for an on-
going program to rehabilitate essentially sound buildings.
2. Oixed -Use Residential and Commercial Development
Trie area located at the eastern end of the neighborhood between Scott and Williams
Streets should continue to serve as a transition area between the intensely developed
downtown area to the east, and the predominantly low- density residential- housing con-
servation area to the west. The area currently contains a wide range of residential, com-
mercial, public and institutional uses. Growth and development of downtown related
u es may lead to replacement of lower intensity uses within this area in the future. New
d velopment should be sensitive to and guided by Historic District guidelines.
3. C�mmercial Areas
c
51
P
)mmercial areas on Washington Street and on Chapin Street should be strengthened as
tail and service centers serving the day -to -day needs of neighborhood residents. These
eas are currently characterized by wide- spread deterioration of buildings. Moreover,
)se to one -half of the buildings in each area are vacant. The total estimated floor area
commercial buildings (Washington Street - 107,000 square feet and Chapin Street -
,000 square feet) far exceeds existing and future demand for such space.
Figure 3
Develop
rl"\
10 �
nt Plan
17
The Concept Plan calls for a new neighborhood commercial center to be located at the
northeast corner of Washington and North Walnut Streets, restoring this corner as the
co mercial hub of the neighborhood. Existing buildings would be cleared from the site
to ready it for redevelopment.
Along both Washington and Chapin Streets, the concept plan calls for new consolidated
pa king areas to serve the adjacent businesses.
4. lnq ustrial
This district is reasonably well defined by existing industrial development. The area in-
cludes newer planned facilities such as the O'Brien Paint Company located north of
Washington Street, and a new construction company at the west end of Washington
Street. It also includes older industrial buildings that range in age, height, size, type of
construction and condition. In general, the older facilities are characterized by building
obsolescence and a non - competitive arrangement of site access, parking, service and en-
vironmental improvements. Contemporary industrial development in the area south of
Washington Street will require removal of many of the smaller free - standing buildings in
p or condition and replatting of the assembled areas for development as a planned in-
dustrial park.
The Concept Plan for the industrial portion of the Near Westside suggests reassembled
parcels of 1 -1/2 to 2 acres, along with rehabilitation of major industrial buildings. This
area is located within an established Urban Enterprise Zone and Tax Abatement Impact
Area, and a full range of business development incentives is available to help the area
compete with newer industrial parks.
The Concept Plan suggests that the to- be- assembled parcels be developed as a modern
in ustrial park served by an internal circulation system. A landscaped perimeter along
W st Washington and North Birdell Streets would buffer the area from the adjacent
re idential blocks.
5. Public
The public areas identified as part of the plan include the existing Martin Luther King
Jr Recreational Center and the City fire station. No other major public recreational
uses are proposed. However, the Plan suggests a major gateway feature at the corners of
W stern Avenue and Chapin Street.
Target A4ea Development Plans
Highly focused and concentrated action is recommended for the Washington Street and Chapin
Street tar et areas. The Washington Street area occupies a strategic and highly visible location
within th neighborhood, and is characterized by the most serious problems of blight, obsoles-
cence anc dilapidation.
Successfu
reputatioi
numerous
by the S
South Be
ported an
I redevelopment of this area will have a major and beneficial impact on the image and
i of the neighborhood as a whole. The Chapin Street area is also characterized by
vacant and deteriorating buildings. Efforts to revitalize this area have been initiated
>uth Bend Heritage Foundation, the St. Joseph Health Care Group, and the City of
.id through its Department of Economic Development. These efforts should be sup -
d expanded as part of the early action program for the neighborhood.
18
Washington Street Development Plan
The Washington Street Development Project Area encompasses the north and south Washington
Street block faces, extending back to their respective alleyways, between Chestnut Street on the
west and North Elm Street on the east. The area presently includes numerous vacant and under
utilized commercial structures near the intersection of Washington and Walnut. It also includes
residential structures at each end, some of which have historical significance. The objective of
this plan it to expand housing and condense the commercial area along this street.
The development concept for the area, which is illustrated in Figure 4, calls for the develop-
ment of approximately 20,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial space at the intersection
of Walnut and Washington together with off - street parking. The remainder of the area would
be developed with one and two family residential development. The market overview analysis
indicates hat growth in the residential population of the neighborhood is necessary before
market support for commercial use may exist. Implementation alternatives to be considered in-
clude reserving land or buildings for future commercial use, or expanding the area of new
residential development to encompass the commercial site.
Under the concept, the northeast corner of the Washington /Walnut intersection would be
developed as a neighborhood commercial center. The center would include a 10,000 square foot
anchor tenant such as a food store or drug store. The center would also include another 10,000
square feet devoted to neighborhood retail and service uses such as doctor's offices, community
agencies, akery, cleaners, ice cream shops, etc. Parking for almost sixty cars would be accom-
modated dn the site.
The rema nder of the redevelopment program would focus on the rehabilitation of existing
commerci 1 and residential structures and the development of new residential units. Ap-
proximate y 50 to 70 residential units would be constructed throughout the seven block faces.
They wou d be either one or two - family units; they would occupy traditional 40 x 150 foot lots,
or be con tructed as attached units; and they would re- establish a neighborhood character and
streetscape for the area through the introduction of elements found in traditional neighborhoods
including elevated porches, fences, gates, windows and a distinction between public and private
space.
Property acquisition for purposes of rehabilitation and incorporation as part of new development
is proposed for property located at the northwest and southwest corners of Washington and Wal-
nut Streets, on the north side of Washington Street at the eastern end of the block between
Spruce anJ Elm Streets, and on the south side of Washington Street encompassing land used for
industrial purposes. If it is not feasible to rehabilitate existing buildings on these sites, or to in-
corporate them with new development, the buildings should be demolished and the sites
redevelop d for residential uses.
Under thi3 program entire blockfronts would be redeveloped, particularly the two blocks on the
south side of Washington Street between Chestnut and Maple. The remaining eastern end of the
block between Walnut and Elm Street on which the commercial center would be developed,
could also be the site of new residential development.
In additio
sidewalk,
leyway re .
i to the plaza /park, other public improvements would be made in the area including
curb and roadway reconstruction, parkway landscaping, pedestrian lighting and al-
urfacing.
19
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:EET DEVELOPMENT PLAN
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ON & DEVELOPNIEN,"T PL Ali
Indiana
New
Residential
Development
Landscape and
Landbank for
Future Development.
Relocated Food Bank
City nd • Wg Washington- Chapin RLMralzabon Proct - South Bend Herirag Fundatin
TrWa =1-11
ten & Payne • AFcned Real Estate Analysis
Rehab 2 -Story
Structure and
Reuse as Commercial
Landscape and
Landbank for
Future Development
Chapin Street Development Plan
The Chapin Street Development Project Area is a three -block corridor which connects
Washington Street to Western Avenue. The corridor currently includes a number of one- and
two- story, largely vacant commercial storefronts, plus a sprinkling of residential buildings, most
of which are multi - family. The objective of this plan is to create a secondary neighborhood
commerci 1 area (Washington and Walnut being the primary neighborhood commercial area)
focused oA the intersection of Chapin and Napier.
Initially, the development concept for the corridor, which is illustrated in Figure 5, calls for the
rehabilitation of 11 structures. An off - street parking program would also be undertaken. The
remaining structures would either be renovated or redeveloped as residential or commercial
projects when market conditions warrant.
Under the Chapin corridor concept, the largest concentration of commercial space would be on
the west side of Chapin between Western and Napier. The South Bend Heritage Foundation is
already involved in a joint venture redevelopment of this block. When completed, ap-
proximate y 8,000 square feet of commercial space will be available. Parking for 61 cars could
be provided behind the development. K &F Food Mart should be rehabilitated, and the vacant
lot immediately north of the food store could accommodate 17 off - street parking spaces.
The Food Bank of Michiana would be relocated to the building on the south end of the block
and the current building and the deteriorated single - family structure should be removed. The
Soul Food restaurant and grocery store on the east side of Chapin Street should be rehabilitated.
The two- amily residential structure should be acquired and rehabilitated for a commercial use
compatibI with the area. Finally, six new residential structures would be constructed on the
block bet een Jefferson and Wayne. The existing gas station would be removed.
The program for the remainder of the three -block corridor should focus on (a) removing blight-
ing influences such as junkyards, abandoned cars, etc; (b) rehabilitating the remaining buildings
including the vacant tavern at the corner of Thomas and Chapin; (c) cleaning up and landscap-
ing all vacant parcels as an initial effort to improve the appearance of the corridor while creat-
ing land f r future development. This strategy would include the vacant block south of the gas
station and the vacant parcel south of the tavern on Thomas; and (d) other public improve-
ments, including sidewalk repair, alley resurfacing, parkway trees, pedestrian street lighting be-
tween Thomas and Western and a landscaped gateway feature on both northern corners of West-
ern and C apin.
Industrial lArea Development Plan
New development as part of the Washington Street project will provide job opportunities during
construction. However, the major source of employment is the underutilized industrial area lo-
cated south of Washington Street. Preliminary estimates indicate that development of an in-
dustrial park in this area could accommodate approximately 130,000 square feet of new in-
dustrial s ace. If this area could be successfully marketed over a ten year year period utilizing
both Ente prise Zone and Tax Increment Financing incentives, an average of 13,000 square feet
of new spice per year may provide job opportunities for 8 to 12 persons, depending on the type
of industr al use. (See Figure 6, Industrial Area Development Plan).
22
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REVITALIZATION STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM
The Near Westside Concept Plan establishes a basic framework for the future growth and
revitalizati n of the area. Key to the success of this revitalization effort, however, is the basic
strategy o "game plan" for using limited resources to achieve the highest level of impact.
It is unrealistic to assume that the revitalization of the Near Westside area can take place over-
night. Thus, it is essential that the timing and sequence of project activities and the use of
resources be orchestrated in a manner that will achieve the Near Westside area's revitalization
objectives.
A major goal of the revitalization strategy is to create an environment for reinvestment in the
study area with rehabilitation, renovation and new construction. These are the investments that
create pos ti.ve and lasting values. This can be achieved if the strategy builds upon the existing
assets or s rengths of the area, including its proximity to downtown, the historic district, its in-
stitutions and organizations, its strong sense of history and community, and its good transporta-
tion linka es.
The strategy must also focus on removing obstacles to reinvestment. This means overcoming
negative i fluences, such as blight, obsolescence and dilapidation, Finally, the limited resources
must be used to obtain the greatest return. Leveraging public and /or private investments to
achieve a multiplier" effect should be pursued wherever possible.
The revitalization strategy should have the support of all who will contribute to, benefit from,
or have a stake in the successful revitalization of this neighborhood. It must be an agreed -upon
strategy that brings the public and private sectors together into a partnership venture. This
provides the basis for a coordinated management of complementary public and private actions to
revitalize 1he Near Westside area.
The recommended strategy is comprised of a number of interdependent and complementary
components. Principal among these are the strategies for new neighborhood -scale residential
and commercial development, continued housing rehabilitation, and the stimulation of new, in-
fill one- and two- family dwellings. These and other supporting elements are described later in
this chapt r.
The strategy also includes a number of long -term, ongoing projects and activities that require
the comm'tment and cooperation of neighborhood residents, the City of South Bend, city -wide
and neigh orhood -based organizations, as well as the private sector. Specifically, the roles of
each of th major actors should be as follows:
f�
pl
W
prc
Cit
`RP. The membership of the WWCRP should play an important role in planning for
revitalization of their neighborhood. There are numerous activities the group could
i and implement. These include but are not limited to: expanding participation in the
CRP as an open forum for residents to air their concerns and bring forth new ideas,
lementing neighborhood clean -up and beautification projects, assisting in encourag-
neighborhood -based economic development, expanding the neighborhood watch
;ram, and serving as a conduit for communication between the neighborhood and the
24
o S HF. With its considerable experience in the neighborhood and other parts of the
Ci y, SBHF should lend its expertise to projects requiring land assembly, rehabilitation,
an new construction, and play an important role in future planning and development.
o The City of South Bend. The City's role is vital on a continuing and active basis, as
only the City can approve and coordinate public improvements in conjunction with other
projects, and because the City is the source of various public funds that can be chan-
neled to the neighborhood. It is crucial that the City make a multi -year funding com-
mi ment to the long -term improvement of the Near Westside.
o Omer OrganiZation.s. Other organizations that serve the greater South Bend area may be
able to lend support and expertise to Near Westside programs. Some, such as New Hope
Housing, are identified elsewhere in this document. The City should work with WWCRP
to identify public, private, and non - profit organizations that could potentially play a role
in the Near Westside Area.
Revitalization Program Scope
The recommended revitalization program is comprehensive in that it addresses the full range of
economic and physical conditions affecting the living and business environments, and the
general quality of life within the neighborhood. The program is balanced between targeted area
redevelopment and revitalization, and area -wide improvement. It is based upon a commitment
of all part cipants to a long -term improvement program designed to produce positive and lasting
gains on a year -to -year basis. The recommended program responds to existing conditions and
needs of the neighborhood, planning goals and objectives endorsed by the neighborhood plan-
ning task force, and the overall development concept.
The scope of the revitalization program includes recommended zoning proposals, the continua-
tion and xpansion of ongoing programs, and early action redevelopment proposals for the
Washingto Street and Chapin Street areas.
Zoning
WWCRP arid the City of South Bend should cooperate in the preparation and adoption of zoning
district m p changes required to conform with and support the recommended Development Plan
for the Near Westside Neighborhood. The following zoning district map changes are prepared
to ensure compatible and mutually supportive land -use relationships within each district and be-
tween all districts.
Residentia Housing Conservation Areas. The predominant land -use in this area should be
single -and two - family residential. The Al- Residential district is recommended for these areas.
If new multi - family residential is desirable, the area east of Chapin Street should be considered
as a B Residential district.
Mixed-Use Residential and Commercial Development. This area is characterized by a wide
range of residential, commercial, public and institutional uses and is influenced by the Central
Business District to the east. In general, zoning changes within this area should be scheduled to
coincide with specific development proposals consistent with the transitional character of the
area. However, the opportunities of current industrial zoning should be re- evaluated.
Commerci
mitted in
conforma
Areas. The Washington Street and Chapin Street areas are currently zoned C-
These areas are no longer appropriate for the broad range of commercial uses per -
is type of district. The C -1 Commercial district is recommended for these areas in
, with the area limits suggested in the Development Plan.
25
Industrial Areas. With the exception of existing industrial uses located south of Washington
Street an currently used for heavy industrial purposes, the D- Light Industrial district is
recomme ded.
Ongoing Programs
The recommended revitalization program includes projects and actions that are neighborhood -
wide in scope and benefit, and should be undertaken as the continuation or expansion of ongo-
ing programs already established by the City of South Bend and available to the Near Westside
Neighbor ood. These efforts are designed to stabilize existing conditions, and property values,
to provid a safe environment for existing residents, and to provide the locationai advantages
and the a fordability and historic qualities of the neighborhood.
Image anc Identity
O aarKeung anu ruuuc ncmauvnu,
E isting marketing and public relations efforts should be continued and intensified. The
purpose of this program is to promote a positive image and identity for the Near
Westside, and should address primarily the greater South Bend community. The. program
sh uld comprise several facets, including: a) development of a promotional brochure
describing housing opportunities; b) distribution of it to relocation centers, Realtors,
Chambers of Commerce and other groups that promote investment in South Bend; c)
regular communication with other promotional groups; and d) press releases and follow-
u for special events and activities in the Near Westside.
o A6ti- Redlinin
This program should encompass two primary activities. The first would consist of spe-
cial outreach efforts to lending institutions and possibly insurance companies to apprise
them of positive changes in the Near Westside, share promotional materials, and so forth.
T e second would require an ongoing monitoring of loans made within the area, in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the Community Reinvestment Act. Members of
W VCRP could be trained in evaluation techniques.
0 i- 4Tmnoornoou l.lcan-
A neighborhood clean -up and property maintenance program has been initiated through
the community organization and participation process, and should be continued on a
regular basis. Cleari -up efforts should be matched by assistance from the City of South
Bend, local institutions and businesses, and private benefactors to remove trash and
debris from vacant lots, get barren areas sodded and /or seeded, cut weeds, remove junk
ca s, repair and paint damaged fences, encourage landscaping, etc. The clean -up and
m intenance program should be established as an ongoing activity designed to improve
th image and appearance of the area, and to promote community pride and participa-
26
Housing
R
0
Continued high level of maintenance of basically sound buildings is required to stabilize
re idential property values and to prevent the creation or spread of deterioration. The
Ci y should develop a targeted code enforcement program to address problem properties
an J owners.
Housing abandonment and demolition has resulted in the loss of a substantial number of
re idential buildings in the past. The extent to which this trend can be stopped and
reversed will affect the potential for revitalization of the neighborhood and the amount
of time required to return the area to a long -term sound condition. Every effort should
be made to protect existing vacant buildings from further deterioration, and to market
th se properties for rehabilitation and re -use. Vacant buildings that are seriously
de eriorated and represent a threat to health and safety should be demolished.
o R4habilitate Deteriorating Buil
E
I
Ex isting housing rehabilitation efforts should be continued and intensified to upgrade
existing buildings to a long -term sound condition and to improve the living conditions
residing in the area. As previously noted, recent surveys indicate that approximately
450 residential buildings are in need of minor or major rehabilitation. Many of the
buildings are owned and occupied by low- and moderate - income households with
linaited ability to finance needed home improvements. The low value . of buildings,
to ether with the high cost of rehabilitation presents financial feasibility questions in
many cases.
New housing on vacated parcels is needed to augment the supply of housing available to
low- and moderate - income families, to restore the continuity of residential frontages,
and to strengthen the appearance and quality of the area as a complete neighborhood. It
is essential, however, that the design of new residential units be of reasonably good
quality and be complementary to the neighborhood. Development of affordable housing
w 11 require creative financing arrangements.
ny small, vacant parcels located between older houses may not be large enough for
v infill housing. These sites tend to be overgrown with weeds and littered with trash
debris. Lack of maintenance of these sites contributes to the poor image and ap-
rance of the neighborhood. A marketing program designed to encourage and
ilitate purchase of these sites by adjacent property owners for clean -up and use as
vate yard areas should eliminate the problems of poor maintenance.
Safety aid Security
0
of
imination and prevention of crime as the highest priority project of the City and
ighborhood will require consistent and continuous efforts by law enforcement officials.
27
M
Neighborhood Watch is one of the most effective and least costly responses to crime.
�.� T e success of block watches is based on the assumption that people in an area are more
inimediately aware of suspicious activity than the police. A block watch involves neigh-
borhood phone trees, meetings, and education. Neighbors report any suspicious activity
in the area by calling local emergency numbers. In addition, they call two neighbors on
a specified phone tree who also call authorities. The criminal activity is reported by
More than one resident to ensure prompt police action and provide "safety in numbers ".
An important component of any block watch is the distinctive "neighborhood watch" sign
that is prominently displayed in the neighborhood to alert criminals or troublemakers
that the neighborhood sticks together and reports crimes.
Men, block watch meetings involve speakers who offer safety tips on protecting homes,
a tos, businesses, and personal belongings. Block Watch participants may coordinate
public improvement projects to pick up litter, or plant flowers and shrubs, etc. Many
Watch groups have not only seen crime reduced, but have discovered that caring about
and sharing in the community's well- being - -its image, its streets and parks, its local
se vices, and recreation opportunities - -offer far - reaching rewards.
o The Indivi
The individual strategies approach seeks to prevent people and property from becoming
vi tims of specific crimes and to reduce opportunities for crime to occur. Its focus is
vi timization prevention. What the average citizen fears most are threats to. self , and
family and violations of property. Some examples of programs include:
o For People
-Child Protection Education
- Elderly Escort Services
- Latchkey Programs
-Safe Houses
- Self - Protection Classes
o For Property
- Operation ID
- Community Clean -up
-Arson Prevention
- Anti - Vandalism Campaigns
O ten, victim assistance programs are coordinated with other programming efforts.
T ese programs are typically made available through the local police department.
Jobs and JE'conomic Development
Ef
P1
W
re
In
at
)grams designed to encourage and facilitate economic development within the Near
:stride Neighborhood have been established by the City of South Bend, or are cur
fitly available through programs funded and administered at the state or federal level.
;entives available include a wide -range of job and business training programs, tax
itement programs, and loan programs for new construction and infrastructure. These
)grams are of potential benefit to the neighborhood and City as a whole, and should
promoted aggressively on an ongoing basis.
28
Community) Facilities and Improvements
10
Co tinued high level of maintenance of existing parks, streets, sidewalks, the Hansel
Center, and other neighborhood facilities is required to stabilize property values and to
prevent the creation or spread of blighting conditions.
o Street Resurfacing Sidewalk Replacement and Curb and Gutter Replacement
Im rovements within public rights -of -way are in basically good condition in major sec -
tio s of the neighborhood. However, upgrading of street surfaces, curbs and gutters,
and sidewalks is needed where deteriorating conditions still exist. Implementation of a
pu lic improvements program will upgrade environmental conditions and support build-
ing and property maintenance.
Action P
Financial resources currently available to the City of South Bend are: not sufficient to permit
scheduling of all improvement projects and activities required to address existing neighborhood
needs and to achieve long -range revitalization objectives. Therefore, the implementation
program must be staged to include early action on high priority projects for which funding can
be secured while continuing to pursue commitments for future projects.
Recommei
f�
early action projects and activities include the following:
Acquisition of blighted property on Washington Street,• relocation of businesses
and residents, and demolition of buildings for redevelopment of assembled sites
in accordance with the Development Plan. Funding for this project is expected
to be approved as part of a Section 108 Loan request which is still pending with
the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The recommended time table for implementing the Washington Street Redevelop-
ment project will begin immediately upon notification of HUD approval of the
City's Section 108 loan application.
Property acquisition appraisals, negotiation with property owners, closing
on property acquisition, relocation of existing businesses and households,
and demolition of buildings and site preparation will require 9 to 12
months to complete. This time frame could be extended if acquisition
cannot be concluded without full use of the City's eminent domain
powers.
Efforts by the City, WWCRP and SBHF to finalize feasibility studies and
to prepare design plans for new housing should be concluded during the
same 9 to 12 month period as land assembly and site preparation. Con-
veyance of acquired property for the start of construction on new housing
should be scheduled no later than the completion of site preparation.
Construction of the new housing (depending on phasing) should require 9
to 12 months.
The objective of the recommended time table is to have new housing available
for initial occupancy within 18 months following approval of the Section 108
Loan Application.
29
J
0
Successfu
cial impa
values th,
The existi
tion of 4C
feet of c
$800,000.
annual in(
be used tc
of the cos
area rang
may be aN
Projects which may be funded as part of the City's Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) program. These include all of the programs currently ad-
ministered by the City, including residential rehabilitation site improvements, etc.
Because CDBG funds are subject to annual appropriation, decisions on projects
to be implemented are made on a one - year -at -a -time basis. WWCRP should
work with the City to insure that progress continues to be made each year toward
rehabilitation of buildings and the elimination of vacant, seriously deteriorated
buildings.
To the extent that the City's general purpose revenues and staff resources will
permit, an expanded program of crime prevention should be implemented. To be
successful, the crime prevention program must be developed on a cooperative
basis with the active involvement and support of the City's Police Department,
all citizen -based organizations, and residents of the neighborhood.
completion of the Washington Street redevelopment project will have a major benefi-
t on the neighborhood. New housing should result in a major increase in real estate
should, in turn, begin to provide the City with incremental real estate tax revenue.
g assessed value of property within the Washington Street area is $99,520. Construc-
residential units and the construction or rehabilitation of approximately 20,000 square
mmercial building space will result in an increase in assessed value estimated at
At the current tax rate for the area, the increase in assessed value would result in an
'ease in property tax revenue estimated at $108,000. The incremental tax revenue can
finance additional improvement projects in the neighborhood. Preliminary estimates
of property acquisition, demolition and site improvements for the Washington Street
from $385,000 to $675,000. Funds to be available as part of the Section 108 loan
Lilable for use in initiating the Chapin Street project.
Completion of the Chapin Street revitalization project should follow Washington Street as a tar -
get area for priority action. Although funding for Chapin Street may be provided as part of tax
increment financing, consideration should be given to the feasibility of financing improvement
projects from future bond issue proceeds.
Development Plan Project Financing
Implemen ation of neighborhood development projects will require a concentrated, cooperative
effort by the public and private sectors of the community. It will require a programmed infu-
sion of public and private capital. Either sector working alone cannot bring about the overall
revitalizat on called for in the plan. Public and private interests must perform their separate
roles in a cooperative and mutually supportive way.
Economic Development
Many elements of the development plan, including residential and commercial development,
must be c rried out by private investors. While the timing and sequence of these projects will
be determined largely by the financial position of individual private investors, and by the local
and national economy, South Bend can undertake certain actions to stimulate and direct invest-
ment.
Public funds could finance those projects which the private sector does not or cannot address by
itself. Public projects could be undertaken that would improve the overall downtown environ-
ment and indirectly promote new private investment. In certain cases, public land could be of-
fered at attractive prices to encourage desired types of new activity.
30
At present, there are a number of public programs available to communities in the State of In-
diana that address economic development. Funding sources include the federal and state
governments, and the programs may be administered at the federal, state or local level, depend-
ing on the specific program. There are four major categories of economic development
programs: 1) financial incentives, which help businesses lower their operating costs; 2) technical
assistance directed toward businesses and local governments 3) tax incentives, also intended to
lower the costs of doing business; and 4) promotion /coordination activities.
Within t category of financial assistance, there are very few programs available to local
governme is that can be used for land acquisition or public improvements in conjunction with
economic development, i.e., job creation.
Although these programs can contribute to a community development strategy, they are limited
by their specific scope, by the amount of funds available to a community during a specific time
period, and by the timing of their availability (annual application submission, etc.). With the
current nienu of development assistance programs, very few offer local governments the
flexibility to address their unique community development problems with regard to dollars and
activities.
To the extent that programs and resources are available, the City, WWCRP, and the SBHF
should cooperate in establishing and marketing a "package" of technical and financial assistance
programs that can be made available to individuals, businesses, groups of businesses, and to
private developers considering rehabilitation of existing buildings as new development in the
commercial target areas, and in the industrial area.
Communit
y Development
The City
of South Bend receives an annual entitlement of Community Development Block Grant
r►-, (CDBG)
funds through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
CDBG funds
can be used for a wide range of projects and activities designed to benefit low -
and mode
ate- income families or aid in the prevention or elimination of blight. In South Bend,
these funs
are used to support housing rehabilitation, economic development, and public works
projects in
several areas of the City. In general, the annual funding limitations of the
programs,
together with the need to support projects on a City -wide, distributed basis,
precludes
the type of multi -year funding commitment required for an effective neighborhood
revitalization
program. The amount of CDBG funds obligated to the neighborhood since
December
of 1987 totals more than $300,000. A portion of this was used to leverage Section
312 How
ing Rehabilitation funds totaling close to $250,000. The City's Department of
Economic
Development has appropriated another $160,000 to the Near Westside Neighborhood
for housing
rehabilitation and other neighborhood improvement programs. These figures do not
reflect th
staff time involved in coordinating the various programs and projects within the
neighborhood.
New sources of funding as well as ways to better leverage the limited funds
available
are needed to further support the City's commitment to multi -year funding of the
neighborhood
revitalization efforts. The City is permitted to borrow against CDBG funds for
specific one-time
projects as part of the Section 108 loan program. In 1988 the City applied for
HUD approval
of a $600,000 loan to be used to fund property acquisition, relocation and
demolitio
projects and activities within the West Washington - Chapin Development Area. The
Washington
Street Target Area has been selected as the first priority area for the Section 108
loan funds.
Those funds not needed for the Washington Street project, if any, are proposed to
be allocat
d for similar activities in the Chapin Street area.
CDBG fu
be depenc
ganizatior
share of f
iding for residential rehabilitation and other improvements in the neighborhood will
ent on future allocations from the City's funding. WWCRP, other neighborhood or-
;, and residents must be prepared to document and advocate a reasonable and fair
ending for the neighborhood on a year -to -year basis.
31
Tax Increrhent Financing (TIF)
In Decem er, 1987, the City of South Bend designated the West Washington - Chapin Develop-
ment Are (the Near Westside Neighborhood) as a tax allocation area. As part of a TIF
program, increases in property tax revenue resulting from new private investment in the desig-
nated neighborhood can be used by the South Bend Redevelopment Commission to finance a
variety of redevelopment costs related to neighborhood revitalization and other incentives to
stimulate private investment in rehabilitation and new construction. The TIF financing tech-
nique for the neighborhood uses the total of all assessed values in the area as of March 1, 1987
as the base value from which increases in property tax revenue are calculated each year. Al-
though it is not realistic to assume any significant increase in revenues over the next few years,
the potent al for tax increment revenue could become an important source of funds in the fu-
ture if eff its to encourage and attract new private investment are successful.
Preliminary Estimates of Development Project Scope and Costs
The scope of redevelopment summarized on the following pages is intended as a preliminary
indication of the workloads, cost, and potentials of each of the major development areas iden-
tified in the Plan. The actual scope of each redevelopment project will depend on specific
development proposals and public /private resources available to support implementation of the
development projects. Estimates are based on the following:
2.
3
4
Recommended program actions in the areas of image and identity, safety and
security, and general economic development involve the continuation or expan-
sion of programs already established by the City and , available to the neigh-
borhood. Other than expanded administrative efforts, no new costs are an-
ticipated.
Estimates for housing program actions are based on surveys conducted by the
City and the consultant, and on experience of the City and the consultant on
similar projects.
Estimates for property acquisition relocation and demolition as part of the
recommended development plan for the Washington Street and Chapin Street
areas are based on current real estate property assessment records, and City and
consultant experience on similar projects.
Estimates for community facilities and improvements are based on recent cost
experience of the City, and the consultant's review of existing conditions.
Estimates shown on the following pages provide an indication of the funding required to under-
take all of the neighborhood improvement projects and activities identified as needed. The
revitalization and development program will require a long -term, multi -year commitment. Es-
timates ard presented to illustrate the annual funding and performance levels to successfully un-
dertake arid complete the program within five and ten -year time frames. These estimates
should be used as a general guide during the implementation phase, and adjusted to allow for
inflation a id for the cost of administration.
The five
$2,137,00(
$835,000
funds tha
close to tl
though it
rear completion schedule would require annual funding estimated at $1,670,000 to
A ten -year completion schedule would require annual funding estimated at
a $1,069,000. The early commitment of Section 108 Loan funds together with CDBG
may be allocated for neighborhood improvement projects, will provide total funding
at required for annual performance at a ten -year implementation program pace. Al-
nay be desirable to achieve more rapid progress at higher levels of funding, it would
32
not be re
performa
in just a
istic to raise expectations based on a time frame of less than ten years. If the annual
:e of the ten year program can be maintained, highly visible progress will be evident
:w years.
33
to Ad jacent Owners
34
Cost
No Public Cost
$600,000
$1,380,000 to $2,070,000
$4,500,000 to $5,440,000
No Public Costs
Cost
No Public Cost
$120,000
$276,000 to $414,000
$900,000 to $1,080,000
No Public Costs
Cost
No Public Cost
$60,000
$138,000 to $207,000
$450,000 to $540,000
No Public Cost
HOUSIN
SCOPE AND
GROSS COST ESTIMATE
Activit P
o ram
Scone
Maintain Sound
Buildings
154 Buildings
Purchase and
Rehabilitate
20 Buildings
Vacant Buildings
$30,000 - $50,000
Rehab Deteriorating
276 Buildings
Buildings
$10,000 - $15,000
240 Buildings
$25,000- $30,000
Market Vacant
Sites
256 Parcels
for New Housing
Market Small
Vacant Sites
11
to Adjacent
Owners
ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE AND
GROSS COST ESTIMATE
BASED ON
5 -YEAR PROGRAM
Activity Pr
ram
Scone
Maintain Sound
Buildings
Ongoing
Purchase ai
d Rehabilitate
4 Buildings
Vacant Bui
dings
r'^
Rehab DetE
riorating
55 Buildings
Buildings
48 Buildings
Market Vacant
Sites
53 Buildings
for New Housing
Market Sm
11 Vacant Sites
2 Parcels
to Adjacent
Owners
ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE AND GROSS COST ESTIMATE
BASED ON
10 YEAR PROGRAM
Activitv/Proeram
Scone
Maintain Sound
Buildings
Ongoing
Purchase and
Rehabilitate
2 Buildings
Vacant Buildings
Rehab Dete
-iorating
27 Buildings
Buildings
24 Buildings
Market Vac
nt Sites
26 Buildings
for New Housing
Market Sma
1 Vacant Sites
1 Parcel
to Ad jacent Owners
34
Cost
No Public Cost
$600,000
$1,380,000 to $2,070,000
$4,500,000 to $5,440,000
No Public Costs
Cost
No Public Cost
$120,000
$276,000 to $414,000
$900,000 to $1,080,000
No Public Costs
Cost
No Public Cost
$60,000
$138,000 to $207,000
$450,000 to $540,000
No Public Cost
4 i
r
JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
A. Washington Street
Acquisition, Relocation, Demolition
B. Chapin Street
Acquisition, Relocation, Demolition
ANNUAL, PERFORMANCE AND GROSS COST ESTIMATE
BASED ON 5 -YEAR PROGRAM
A. Washington Street
Acquisition, Relocation, Demolition
B. Chapin Street
Acquisition, Relocation, Demolition
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND GROSS COST ESTIMATE
BASED ON 10 YEAR PROGRAM
A. Washington Street
Acquisition, Relocation, Demolition
B. C apin Street
A quisition, Relocation, Demolition
i �.
r r
4_; ;'o * 4
a
35
Cost
$450,000 to $870,000
$65,000 to $128,000
$87,000 to $174,000
$13,000 to $25,600
$43,500 to $87,000
$6,500 to $12,800
N'
4=
f�
COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS
Activit
ro ram
Scope
ANNUAL
Maintain
xisting Facilities
Ongoing
Street Resurfacing,
BASED ON
2,970 LF
Sidewalk Replacement,
Ongoing
26,225 LF
Curb and
Gutter Replacement
22,825 LF
Playground
Construction
1 -2
$50,000 7$75,000
Natatorium
Construction
L
ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE AND
GROSS COST ESTIMATE
BASED ON
5 YEAR PROGRAM
BASED ON
Maintain 'Existing
Facilities
Ongoing
Street Resurfacing,
Ongoing
600 LF
Sidewalk Replacement,
300 LF
5,245 LF
Curb and
Gutter Replacement
4,565 LF
PlaygrounJ
Construction
L
Natatorium
ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE AND GROSS COST ESTIMATE
BASED ON
10 YEAR PROGRAM
Maintain Existing
Facilities
Ongoing
Street Resurfacing,
300 LF
Sidewalk Replacement,
2,713 LF
Curb and
Gutter Replacement
2,283 LF
Playground
Construction
2
Natatoriu
36
Cost
$88,000
$420,000
$365,000
$100,000 to $150,000
No Estimate
$17,600
$84,000
$73,000
$100,0004150,000
No Estimate
$8,800
$42,000
$36,500
$100,000 to $150,000
No Estimate
Appendix A
Market Overview
Applied Real Estate Analysis, Inc.
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
The purpose of this interim report is to summarize the findings
and conclusions of Applied Real Estate Analysis (AREA), Inc.,
regarding real estate market demand and development opportunities
in South Bend's Near Westside Neighborhood. Although the scope
of se vices of this assignment does not permit in —depth market
analy es of each potential land use in the study area, we have
at.--tempted to identify key trends and conditions affecting
revit lization of the area. This market overview is based on a
review of previous reports and documents describing the study
area and its surroundings; a field examination of the study area
and c mnetitive residential, retail and other commercial market
areas and interviews with local realtors familiar with the
area.
A.
The *? -ar Tn�estside Neighborhood has a number of strengths as well
n. � _ s v . e problems af= ecting real estate development and
Lt izat�on pOtenLlal in the area. The key problems and
onpor :__n_itieS/ and the general market trends in the area are as
folio as:
1. t iav _P..rea St =� ct�S
The Near West-side is close to downtown South Bend. As
a result, the area has benefitted from increased
commercial development activity which has spilled over
into the study area where investors have purchased
large, o'• d homes and rehabilitated them for office
space.
The Near Tr�estside's historic district has also
attracted homebuyers who have purchased and renovated
housing. Historic dwellings moved to the neighborhood
have filled vacant lots and further enhanced the area's
character.
_'ublic and private investment in key projects such as
the Colfa:c Cultural Center and Tippecanoe Place have
imtiroved the area's appearance and image.
* P.
te Beta =led summary of comments by the local realtors is
attad to this memorandum.
2.
3.
o The area's population is fairly stable in terms of
length of residence in the study area. According to
the U.S. Census, in 1980 approximately two - thirds of
the Near Westside's population lived in the same house
in which they had resided in 1975. In comparison,
approximately 60 percent of the City of South Bend's
total population did not change residences between 1975
and 1980.
o The Near Westside is perceived to have a high crime
rate, especially by people living outside the area.
o The area's commercial districts along Washington Street
near Walnut Street, and Chapin Street just north of
Western Avenue are no longer active and consist largely
Of vacant or underutilized buildings.
o The area's housing stock continues to deteriorate,
especially in the areas south of Washington Street and
west of the historic district.
o The area's population continues to decline. According
to the U.S. Census, the area lost approximately
percent of its population between 1910 and 1980
reaching a total of about 6,563 in 1980.* The area
also lost a significant number of households during
that period. The total number or households decreased
by 27 percent to 2,733 households in 1980.
o Residential demand in the area appears to be strong.
The area is highly desirable by first -time home buyers,
especially young black families seeking affordable
housing. The incomes of most persons currently
attracted to most housing in the area are however low,
making the costs of financing housing purchases and
ongoing maintenance important concerns for them.
* Data
cot r vinous
inc uded are
are available by census tracts which are not
with the study area boundaries. The census tracts
tracts 19, 20 and 21.
2
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
4.
o A significant amount of investment has occurred in the
Near Westside's historic district. The level of demand
for housing in this area is however difficult to
measure, since few rehabilitated houses have been
resold. Realtors whom we interviewed question whether
or not study area homeowners who have made major
housing improvements would be able to fully recover
their investments if they attempted to sell their
homes.
o Demand for rental units also appears to be strong in
the study area in part because of the area's affordable
housing. According to one realtor, with the exception
of the historic district, rental rates are
approximately 10 to 25 percent lower in the study area
than in other neighborhoods closer to the St. Joseph
River.
c As in most of South Bend, the vacancy rate for rental
housing in the blear Westside is very low. Realtors
estimate a citywide rental vacancy rate of three
percent.
O The study area's former commercial districts along
Washington Street at Walnut, and along Chapin Street
retain few active reta'i'l' uses. These uses consist
primarily of small taverns and eating places.
o Many structures in the commercial districts are vacant
or partially vacant and have a negative impact on the
surrounding area.
o The commercial districts have a negative image due to
perceives high crime levels, physical deterioration of
buildings, and loitering around the few remaining
establishments.
O Retail concentrations locat V Outside the study area
serve the Near 4vestside population, especially for
comparison retail goods.*
Comparison retail goods include those items such as
clothing, appliances and furniture for which shoppers are
willing to travel long distances in order to compare prices.
in contrast, convenience retail goods include items such as
food for which shoppers are not willing to 'travel long
distances.
3
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
r�
5. MLrk-9t--T-r-eD-d-5- f Q41_SQs�1
CO
o The overall office market in South Bend appears to be
fairly strong. In downtown, good quality rehabilitated
office.space rents for about $11.00 to $13.00 per
square foot, including most maintenance and operating
expenses. Top quality new space rents for $13.50 to
$15.50 per square foot.
o The Near Westside's Washington Street area has
benefitted from positive trends in the adjacent central
business district. Strong demand exists for office
space in renovated former mansions in the historic
district.
o The trend of converting large old houses into
professional office space may have peaked, however,
largely because of changes in federal tax laws that
have made the conversions less cost effective.
o Demand for office space in the study area but outside
the historic district is very limited at this time.
0
The overall market for light industrial space appear.,to
be active in the South Bend area with new and vacant
existing good quality space being absorbed as it
becomes available•
o Rental rates range from $1.50 to $2.00 per square foot
for space in older, existing buildings to $5.00 to
$5.00 per square foot in new industrial parks. in both
cases, tenants pay all operating and maintenance
expenses.
o The City of South Bend has a large supply of vacant and
underutilized space in deteriorating former
manufacturing buildings near downtown, especially the
former Studebaker facility. As in most cities acress
the country, demand for vertical usually antiquated
industrial space is very limited.
o The western section of the Near Westside study area
near Washington and Cherry streets is already the focus
of planned privately- sponsored light industrial
development. The project includes a 750,000- square-
foot building and vacant land. Preliminary plans
include rehabilitation of the existing structure and
new building construction.
A
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
r--,
0
Basel
seve.
revi�
phase
be c:
ph -,7s.
1
nevi,
foil(
of this real estate market overview, we have reached
al preliminary conclusions regarding the study area's key
alization opportunities and constraints. During later
s of this assignment, these market - related conclusions will
mbined with other factors affecting the area such as its
c:.'_ condition and layout to develop an overall
alization strategy. The key market conclusions are as
ws:
1. L? .Nsal'e
o The real estate category with the strongest
potential is residential real estate. The study
area is very attractive for low- and moderate -
income families seeking to purchase a first home.
The area is also attractive for low- and.moderate-
income renters.
o Further investments in both renter- and owner -
occupied housing rehabilitation would benefit the
area by making the area more attractive and
preserving the housing stock. Given the incomes
of area owner-occupants and renters, continued
availability and possible expansion or public
rehabilitation financing programs will be needed
to encourage housing rehabilitation.
o wit-hin the Study area's historic district,
investment continues in substantial housing
improvementZ. Encouragement of housing
re.nabilitation by young families seeking
affordable older homes will further stabilize the
Near Westside Neighborhood and strengthen the
demand for resales of renovated homes.
o The feasibility of building new rental or owner -
occupied housing in the study area is limited.
Given local construction costs, it is unlikely
t_^.at new housing can be built w-* th acceptable
sales prices o_r rent levels unless major public
subsidies are provided. New market -rate units
with rents or purchase prices adequate to cover
all development costs would not be marketable in
the study area in the near future.
2• RA�-a11 �.iarkA.
o Retail development potential in new or
rehabilitated buildings within the study area
5
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
exists primarily along major thoroughfares such as
Lincolnway and Western Avenue. There is little
support for additional retail establishments in
the study area's former commercial concentrations
along Washington and Chapin streets.
o Given the negative image of these two former
commercial concentrations and the competition for
limited study area expenditures, other types of
neighborhood improvements, such as housing
improvements, will be required before additional
retail development will have adequate support.
-i-g t_Tpduo --Uses
o Demand continues for office space in converted
older homes even though interest in converting
historic homes to offices has decreased somewhat
due to changes in the federal tax laws.
o F small quantity of light industrial space should
be marketable in the western section of the studv
area in new and /or rehabilitated buildings,
especially if the rental costs or purchase prices
can be kept well below those in newer industrial
areas.
M
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
?"y Qf Tyt—erew_fiuLd,Iig,5
AREA has conducted interviews with several (six) real estate
professionals who are familiar with the Near Westside
Neighborhood. Briefly, the key comments made by the interview
respondents are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
During the.early 19801s, real estate values declined in
South Bend due to local as well as national economic trends.
Tn recent years, these values have stabilized. While no
substantial appreciation in real estate has occurred, the
construction industry is currently "booming."
Local investment is occurring after a period when very
little investment was occurring locally.
Manv persons interviewed feel optimistic about the recent
economic conditions in South Bend, and feel that the Near
Westside neighborhood is in a position to benefit from these
conditions.
Resident of the study area are perceived by some persons
interviewed to be immobile. The majority of residents in
the area are black, Hispanic or Polish.
There are no strong racial tensions in the Near Westside
Neighborhood, nor in South Bend, but one person stated that
the city has come a long way to reach this point over the
past 10 years.
M
The amount of rental housing is significant in the study
area, and contributes to physical deterioration of the
rousing stock. According to one respondent, almost half of
all investment in the area is by speculators. Also, the
existence of multifamily zoning has also contributed to
physical deterioration of the area's housing stock.
The rental vacancy rate is quoted by many to be as low as
3 ;.
Housing values have been stable in the study area.
7
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
4.
0
6.
7.
91
O.
Several realtors state that there are not many homes for
sale in the area, and those few that realtors are aware of
remain on the market for much longer than homes in other
South Bend market areas. A partial explanation of the
realtors perception of lack of homes for sale is that many
are privately transferred and do not appear in the multiple
listing service.
Many of the homes that appear on a listing service are
architecturally appealing and are located within the
Historic District. These homes are often sold to homebuyers
who are willing to invest in rehabilitation. The number of
these homebuyers is limited. Since few substantially
rehabilitated historic homes have been resold, the demand
for these homes and the potential resale prices have not
been determined. Most families (or couples) who are
interested in purchasing large, older homes with character,
and who have the financial resources to do so buy homes
across the river in the East Jefferson area where the
purchase of a home is perceived as a good investment.
Financing for many smaller homes on the Near Westside is
provided by FHA or VP_ loans.
The Near West-side is perceived by some realtors as an
excellent starter home area, especially for young black
couples. There, they can get the most home for their money.
Other higher priced starter home areas include (in order of
the amount of investment required, low to high):
a. Miami Street area (south).
b. Fellows and Rush area (southeast).
C. River Park (off of Mishawaka).
d. Clay Township (Granger, Arlington Heights,
Swanson, Georcetown communities).
e. Scottsdale area.
Some minority families are discouraged from seeking homes to
purchase. Their perception is that financing is not
available to them. Many people who might buy a home in the
area actually rent there now. Related to this, while
apartments are currently on the market throughout the city,
it is difficult to find a vacant home for rent.
The study area is perceived to be gentrifying only within
and adjacent to the Historic District. Other gentrifying
areas in the city of South Bend include:
a. Park Avenue - 15 years ago this neighborhood was
much like the Near Westside is today. Now it is
no longer affordable to many hcme- buyers.
b. Monroe - a targeted redevelopment area.
0
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
�1�
1.
0
3.
4.
Other
1.
he market for essential goods (groceries) is dominated by
roger's and Martins grocery stores.
esidents of the study area go to the two malls (especially
niversity Park Mall) to do their comparison shopping, as do
ost South Bend residents.
he hispanic community within the study area frequent a
ommercial area south of the study area.
ne respondent suggested that a laundry -mat and a church -
wned service could be successful if located near the clinic
n Chapin.
Co -P na.s
pot - zoning for and non - conforming use of commercial
uildings exist in the study area, contributing to physical
eterioration of commercial buildings.
he trend of house- moving and commercial office
ehabilitation has_reached its peak. The lack of tax
ncentives has contributed to this condition.
i, he commercial use of historic buildings creates an
nvestment di_enuna for those interested in revitalizing the
tirea. Overall, while the demand has been strong for office
:,ace for small offices, the conversion of previously
esidential structures to commercial uses leaves the area
acant dur_ng the weekends and at night. One respondent
eels that this contributes to the perception that the Near
- estside neighborhood is not secure.
rev;t tio; PoteLlial and_Neea
1. he ma;crity of persons interviewed feel that if crime was
put- "in check" that many persons from the remainder of South
end would frequent or perhaps invest in the study area.
rime does seem to be limited to both break -ins in
commercial properties and drug - related violence on the
streets. One factor contributing to the present perception
f crime is the presence of loitering individuals on the
treets outside of taverns. One respondent suggested that a
ocal drinking ordinance might alleviate some of the
oiterina.
2. ast investment in and ongoing use of the-Colfax Cultural
enter, Tippecanoe Place, and homes that have been moved
0
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
F^
3.
4.
5.
M
into the area have a positive impact on the Near Westside
M,-oa nna improve its ties to downtown.
General improvements and development efforts downtown are
also perceived as having a positive impact on the study
area. Projects mentioned include the Century City
convention /conference complex, rehabilitated industrial
buildings for commercial use, and a planned new residential
development along the river.
Some respondents feel that all available land downtown has
been developed, and that the Near Westside is an ideal
"spillover" area. The demand for Class B- rehabilitated
office space seems to be high, and the existence of some
commercial office space in the Near Westside could provide
the encouragement new investors need to come into the area.
Also, the positive economic trends throughout the city may
provide the climate to make investment possible in
commercial office space.
Some respondents believe that the Near Westside neighborhood
could also provide both retail and recreational activities
for downtown employees whose demand for these items is
currently unmet. These must be within walking distance of
downtown. Suggested retail establishments include a
convenience grocery, a dry - cleaners and a hair salon.
in reference to housing in the study area, one respondent
feels that realtors are contributing to the negative
impression of the Near Westside by not marketing it
universally. This individual expressed a clear need for a
city- or ecunty -run Fair Housing Agency. The primary task
of this acency would be to educate realtors about all
perceptions versus realities of various areas within South
Bend, including the Near Westside neighborhood.
10
APPLIED REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, INC.
Appendix B
Demographic Data
r^�
,rte
`BENCHMAR : POPULATION PROFILE
WEST WAS INGTON- CHAPIN DEVELOPMENT AREA
POPULATI
HOUSEHO
RACE 1987
SPANISH C
SEX &
MARITAL
STATUS 19
N 1992 Projection
1987 Estimate
1980 Census
1970 Census
% 80 -87 Chance
% 70 -80 Change
In Group Qtrs 1987
S 1992 Projection
1987 Estimate
1980 Census
1970 Census
% 80 -87 Change
% 70 -80 Chancre
White
Black
Amer. Indian
Asian/Pacific Islndr
Other
RIGIN 1987
Males
Single
80 Females
Single
STUDY
AREA
1847
2051
2431 330
-15.6%
-26.3%
2.6%
880
958
1080
1269
-11.2%
-14.8%
41.9%
56.6%
0.4%
0 .'4 %
0.7%
4.7%
44.8%
43.0%
55.2%
27.9%
AGE 1987
+i +ryl.11tl D
JRBAN DECISION
SYSTEMS, INC.
9.0%
06/23/88
6 - 13
Page 1
SOUTH
ST JOSEPH
BEND,IN
COIN
96272
240097
101453
241227
109726
241617
129467
245045
-7.4%
-0.1%
-15.1%
-1.3%
2.1%
4.6%
38518
90019
39999
89031
41824
86204
42433
75666
-4 . 30e
3. 3%
-1.30-
13.9%
77.7%
89.0%
21.2%
9.9%
0.3%
0.3%
0.5%
0.6%
0.3%
0.3%
3.4%
2.0%
47.2%
48.4%
29.5%
30.5%
52.8%
51.6%
22.2%
23.3%
AGE 1987
0 - 5
11.5%
9.6%
9.0%
6 - 13
10.5%
9.6%
.10.7%
14 - 17
4.5%
4.5%
5.1%
18 - 20
3.6%
3.3%
5.0%
21 - 24
7.5%
7.3%
7.3%
25 - 34
16.6%
19.5%
18.1%
35 - 44
5.7%
8.4%
11.4%
45 - 54
6.6%
8.5%
9.5%
55 - 64
9.8%
11.2%
10.0%
65-
23.7%
18.0%
13.9%
Median Age, Total
32.4
33.0
32.1
Median Ace, Males
28.6
31.1
30.7
Median Age, Females
41.3
34.9
33.6
HOUSEHOLD
1- Person
51.8%
27.4%
24.7%
SIZE 1987
2- Person
21.1%
33.8%
32.9%
3 -4 Person
18.5%
29.7%
32.3%
5+ Person
8.6%
9.0%
10.0%
Source: 1970, 1980 Censuses, July 1,1987 UDS Estimates (XP3)
------------------------------------------------- - - - - --
Urban Decision Systems /PO Box 25953 /Los Angeles, CA 90025/(213) 820 -8931
r^�
`BENCF24ARK� POPULATION PROFILE
WEST WASH NGTON- CHAPIN DEVELOPMENT AREA
AGGREGATE
Total ($Mil)
INCOME 19B7
Per Capita
HOUSEHOLD
$
0- 4,999
INCOME 1937
$
5,000- 9,999
$
10,000 - 14,999
$
15,000- 19,999
$
20,000- 24,999
$
25,000- 29,999
$
30,000 - 34,999
$
35,000- 39,999
$
40,000- 49,999
$
50,000-74,999.
$
75,000+
Median HH Income
Avg HH Income
AVERAGE H
USEHOLD SIZE 1987
STUDY
ARE
15.4
$ 7531
24.9%
21.3%
16.5%
10.1%
7.3%
5.2%
4.0%
2.9%
4.0%
2.9%
0.8%
$ 1115
$ 1576
2.09
URBAN DECISION S
SYSTEMS, INC.
06/23/88
Page 2
SOUTH S
ST JOSEPH
2.48 2.59
NONFAMILY HOUSEHOLDS 1987 50' .30 31.9% 28.2%
493 29205 6332
FAMILIES 1980 =
With Children 54.3% 49.0% 5 =•7%
Married Couples 51.4% 78.4% 83.3%
Married With Children 43.1%
4= -1..9% 49.4%
FAMILIES 1987 418 27232 63959
AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE 1987 3.31 3.08 3.13
° 3.3%
FAMILY $ 0- 4,999 11.2% 4.1%
INCOME 1987 $ 5,000- 9,999 17.2% 8.0% 6.9%
$ 8.9%
10,000 - 14,999 18.3% 10.3a
$ 15,000- 19,999 13.6% 11.5% 10.1%
$ 20,000 - 24,999 10.2% 11.4% 10.7%
$ 25,000 - 29,999 7.1% 13.0% 13.0%
$ 30,000 - 34,999 5.5% 9.5% 10.2%
$ 35,000- 39,999 4.5% 7.6% 8.4%
$ 40,000 - 49,999 6.3% 10.4% 12.0%
$ 50,000 - 74,999 5.0% 9.6% 11.2%
$ 75,000+ 1.2% 4.4% 5.3%
Median Fam Income $ 16217 $ 26790 $ 28855
Avg Fam Income $ 24397 $ 33760 $ 37002
VEHICLES No Vehicles 48.9% 15.0% 10.7%
AVAILABLE 1 Vehicle 34.9% 43.50 38.9%
1987 2+ Vehicles 16.2% 41.5% 50.4%
Total Autos 701 55092 138872
Avg Vehicles /Hshld 0.73 1.38 1.56
Source: 1970, 1980 Censuses, July 1,1987 UDS Estimates
(XP
-- - - - - --
------------------------------ - --------------------------------
)
Urban De ision Systems /PO Box 25953/Los Angeles, CA 90025/(213) 820 -893
•
BENCHMARK:
POPULATION PROFILE
URBAN DECISION
SYSTEMS, INC.
06/23/88
WEST WAS
INGTON- CHAPIN DEVELOPMENT
AREA
Page 3
STUDY
SOUTH
ST JOSEPH
AREA
BEND,IN
COIN
LABOR FORCE
Males 16+
487
61.4%
29080
74.9%
66297
75.8%
In Labor Force
488
22853
49475
Females 16+
46.9%
50.5%
51.2%
In Labor Force
16.8%
9.0%
7.9%
Unemployed
OCCUPATION
Managerial /Executive
5.10
9.5%
12.5%
10.1 °s
11.8%
Professional
10.7E
1.8%
°
2.80
2.9%
Technical
°
15.0%
17.7 %
17.0%
Clerical
8.9%
°
10.50
. 10.9%
Sales
White Collar
41.4%
53.0%
52.7%
Craftsmen
7.9%
11.2%
12.7%
Operatives
18.9%
15.6%
15.9.
13.9%
Services
27.0%
4.7%
15.7%
4.0%
3.80
Laborers
Farm Workers
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
Blue Collar
58.6%
47.0%
47.3%
SCHOOLIN
3
Population 25+
1447
66743
37.2%
140892
40.0%
High School Only
30.6%
13.6%
12.9%
College 1 -3 Years
10.5%
7.3%
14.3%
14.6%
College 4+ Years
MEDIAN SCHOOL
YEARS
11.75
12.41
12.4 4
HOUSING
JNITS
Total Units
1222
44514
66.9%
91165
69.9%
Owner - Occupied
30.5%
24.7%
Renter - Occupied
57.9%
27.1%
°
5.3 °%
Vacant /Year -Round
11.6%
6.0%
Vacant Seasonal
0.0%
0.1%
0.1%
473
Condominiums
12
193
93
1741
Mobile Homes
Stability (5 -Yr)
1
57.8%
60.3%
56.5%
Turnover (1 -Yr)
9.6%
8.0%
8.0%
$ 14020
$ 26094
$ 31903
MEDIAN VALUE
$ 115
$ 100
$ 171
MEDIAN RENT
UNITS PER
1 Unit
44.2%
79.6%
°
8 =• -�
3.7%
STRUCTURE
2 Units
7.4%
4.9%
4.3%
3.5%
3 -4 Units
10.5%
37.9%
11.2%
11.6%
5+ Units
UNITS BY
1975 -80
7.8%
3.0%
8.7%
8.8%
YEAR BUILT
1970 -74
2.7%
19.6%
3.7%
10.5°%
14.4%
1960 -69
5.2%
23.5%
19.5%
1950 -59
< - - - -49
64.7%
59.3%
48.6%
Source:
1970,
1980 Censuses, July
1,1987 UDS
Estimates
( X? 3 )
- --
- - - - - - ------ --------------
Urban - Decision Systems /PO - Box 25953/Los Angeles, \CA 90025/(213) 820 -893
Appendix C
Adaptive Re -Use Analysis;
SOUTi$ BEND - NEAR WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
CONI)i'rION AND RE -USE ANALYSIS OF THE 1305 WASHINGTON BUILDING
Descrip1tion of Building
The sample building analyzed for this study is the west storefront unit of a three-
storefront building, two stories in height located at 1305 Washington. The second floor of
the unit surveyed contains two apartments; presumably the other two units contain an
equal number of dwelling units. The building is constructed with masonry and frame ex-
terior walls, masonry with stucco covered foundation walls, wood floors and roof with
built-up roofing, including a clay tile mansard decorative canopy around the east and south
faces of the building. Each unit of the building is under separate ownership. The entire
3 -unit building measures approximately 80 feet x 60 feet.
Condition of Unit Surveyed
Exterio
The ex erior masonry walls are in reasonably good condition except along the west side,
where inuch deterioration, loose masonry, open stud and joist pockets exist resulting from
damage to this side of the building when an adjacent and abutting building was removed.
Additionally, a frame wall section on the second level was severely damaged by a fire
which driginated in the middle unit,leaving it severely damaged. This wall is part of the
second level light well opening or court area, allowing windows for light on the interior
°::ond rloor rooms. The fire damage involves the entire section of the rear of the second
floor r quiring replacement of wall framing, siding and windows, including frames in the
kitchen living room, and rear bedroom.
The roof is leaking over a limited area, requiring spot repairs. Most windows are com-
�� ;:et, iy damaged with a combination of missing window units and sash sections, and most
of the glass is out in the remaining windows. The rear porch is poorly constructed and re-
quires a perimeter railing. The canopy over the rear stairway leading to the second level
of the Torch is of poor construction and is covered with tar paper.
Interior
The first level is a vacant store with rough flooring, which is worn, including a large
heaved section which resulted from water damage from the fire. Floor to ceiling height is
approximately 12 feet. The stamped metal ceiling is damaged in places including a hole
toward the rear. Poorlv constructed 7 foot partitions exist in the center of the floor divid-
ing this space. Electrical service is poor with only a 60 AMP service and 4 circuits. Light-
ing includes a limited number of old, rusty fluorescent fixtures. All the storefront win-
dows are out and the storefront walls, supports, bulkhead and door require rebuilding
and /or replacement. The condition of the walls is poor with peeling and cracked plaster.
The second floor is in a gutted condition, including significant plaster damage with miss-
ing sections of plaster and exposed lath, and peeling, cracked and missing paint on all inte-
rior wa s and ceilings. Doors are damaged and missing in most rooms. Windows are miss-
ing, da aged or deteriorated.
Mechanical Systems
The building contains a few radiators but has no heating unit in any level including the
basement The electrical system is inadequate in service fixtures and outlets. Both apart -
�"� ments have only a single receptacle outlet in combination with a wall fixture. There are no
wall switches nor light fixtures in any ceilings and the service box in the hallway was
removed. Wiring is a combination of old Romex and BX.
The plurnbing appears to be in reasonably good condition with respect to the main drain
lines. H wever, many of the water supply lines require replacement and all bath and
kitchen plumbing fixtures require complete replacement.
Renovation Requirements and Cost Estimates
Option 1
Option I is the minimum treatment required to the 1305 portion of the structure as the ini-
tial step to utilize this portion of the 3- storefront building. The repairs and improvements
are limited to: a) making the building weather - tight, b) returning the first floor store area
to a condition suitable for tenant use and c) treating the exterior (particularly the front
facade) ro a repaired and restored condition to match the adjacent storefronts, if these rep-
resent th original facade of the structure.
Reconstruction requirements and related cost estimates for Option I are as follows:
rL
Items Estimate
(Exterior)
o Roof ing repairs $3,500.00
o West wall repair, painting, cover with appropriate material 4,200.00
o R place damaged and missing windows and frames on second floor 3,950.00
o Repair and restore fire- damaged frame exterior wall on second level
(east side) 1,950.00
o Replace storefront windows and entry door, repair /rebuild storefront,
bulkheads
3,030.00
o Remove unacceptable green paint from front facade, restore masonry,
repaint window frames and trim 2,920.00
o R build rear porch, replace rear entry door and door and canopy to second
level rear entrance 1,700.00
Exterior Subtotal
(Interior (Options for numbered items are presented below.)
C
R�moval existing partitions in center area of store
R�pair water damaged section of flooring, cover with new flooring
(t le or carpet or new wood)
NA
521,250.00
$475.00
2,650.00
w K
2) F epair metal- stamped ceiling, repaint, including metal cove molding 1,025.00
3) F epair plastered walls, p atch and repaint 3,200.00
o I stall new (min. 150 AMP) electrical service, circuits, switches,
outlets and new lighting to code 3,500.00
o F.eplace plumbing fixtures in rear bathrooms (commode, sink /lav, medicine
cabinet, repair and paint walls and ceiling, replace entry door. Install 1,080.00
nderlayment and new floor covering.
4) Iristall furnace and heating system 5,400.00
Interior J5ubtotai
Total E timate
Optional
treatments on items listed:
1) Floor
covering choices and costs are:
-
sheet goods $2,590.00
linoleum or vinyl tile $1,525.00
-
carpeting $2,500.00
-
wood flooring (finished) $3,350.00
-
refinish existing $1,275.00
2) Install
drop ceiling for 10' floor to
oiling height instead $3,500.00
3} Install
furring and new drywall on walls instead,
aped, spackled and painted $3,050.00
4)
Heating options:
Electric base board units $3,680.00
Furnace and forced air ductwork $5,400.00
Overhead suspended heaters $4,200.00
Summaky of re -use cost - Option 1
$17,330.00
$38,580.00
As indicated, the minimum cost required for Option I, based on the exterior improvement
and the renovation of the storefront space is estimated to be $38,580, or approximately
525.00 per square foot. This cost could be slightly increased or reduced depending on the
options selected for items such as floor covering, ceiling treatment, wall repair versus
covering with drywall and type of heating. The heating cost in Option I is based on a sys-
tem which could be extended and added onto in order to provide heat to the second floor
apartm nts, should this second floor space be considered for rehabilitation and occupancy
in the f uture.
3
,111�
Option 11
For the purpose of anticipated cost and the objective of creating full occupancy of the
1305 portion of the building in the future it will be necessary to completely renovate the
two apartments on the second floor which are currently vacant and in a deteriorated condi-
tion. To return the two dwelling units to a habitable condition would require the follow-
ing improvements:
o Remove existing furnishings and debris
o In tall new electrical service, wiring, outlets, switches and fixtures to code.
o R pair all walls, ceilings, install drywall in rooms impacted by fire damage, paint
all walls, ceilings and trim.
o Rt place all interior doors, install new hardware.
o Install new kitchens and baths including all fixtures, vanities, base and wall
cabinets, tub walls, flooring, counter tops, sinks.
o E. tend heating systems to both units, provide separate zone heat, thermostats.
o Install new floor covering in all rooms and hallway
o Install combination storms screens on second floor windows
Estimated cost for the improvements is $36,000 or approximately $23.00 per square foot.
Summar, of entire building
By using the estimated costs for the improvements indicated in.Options I and II we can
determine the probable costs of renovation for the entire 3- storefront building as indicated
in the table below.
Estimated Cost
Total 3 -Unit
1305 Unitl 1303 Unit 1301 Unit Building,
Exterior $21,250 $17,0503 $17,050 $55,350
Interior 17,330 17,330 17,330 51,990
Second Fl. (Apts) 36.000 40.0004 36.000 11 2.000
Total $74,580 $74,380 $70,380 $219,340
1 Used surveyed unit for sample costs.
�) I terior work for first floor (storefront) space only.
3) Excluding cost of west wall improvements required on 1305 unit.
4) Higher cost reflecting extensive fire damage in 1303 unit.
New Construction Replacement Cost Comparison
Small urban stores @ S45.00 /SF x 4500 $202,500
One and two - bedroom apartments on upper floor @ $51.00 /SF 229.500
Total cot to replace 3 -unit building $432,000
F1