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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 1974HISTORIC PRESERVATION.COMMISSION OF. SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, INDIANA M:I..N. U T E'S Monday, May 13, 1974 Conference Room 7:55 P.M. Area.Plan Commission Room 1123, County -City Building 1. Call to Order Chairman Smith called the meeting,to order at 7:55 P.M. and requested that Mrs. Judith Studer of the Area Plan Commission staff, serve as the Secretary.Pro-Tem of the meeting in the absence of Mr. Rothermel. 2. Roll, Call Members Present:-. Mr. John Smith, Mr. John Oxian, Mrs. Deloris Davisson, Mr. F.•Jay Nimtz, and Mrs. Joanne Sporleder- Members Absent Mr. Ward Baker, Mr. Al Paszek, Mr. Russell Rothermel, and Mrs. Chris Woolridge Others Present Mrs. Judith -Studer', Mr. Richard Johnson, and Mrs: -Jean Derbeck 3. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the April 8,,-1974 meeting were approved as printed. 4 Treasurer's- Report No expenditures.were incurred, nor were additional funds received. 5.. Correspondence The Secretary Pro -Tem read a -letter from Mr. Rothermel regarding his communication with Mrs. Gwen Stiver, Chairman of the Bicentennial Program. The Commission:had directed Mr. Rothermel-to invite Mrs. Stiver-to attend their May.meeting. She -was unable to do so`, due to a prior commitment,.and she asked to be placed on the agenda-for,the next regular meeting.. Mr. Rothermel indicated that he, too, would be unable to attend the May 13 -meeting. A letter was also.received from Mr. Louis'C. Chapleau of -the law -firm Chapleau, Roper-, McInerny,_.Minczewski,'.and Farabaugh, relative;to the -Commission's interest in evaluating-the.Penn Central Union.Station as.an'historic landmark•... Mr. Chapleau advised that'the Commission contact Mr-. Patrick J. Barrett Real Estate and Tax Department Penn Central Transportation Company Room 482; Union.Station- Chicago, IL 60606. The Commission -directed Chairman Smith to write -Mr. Barrett to inform him -of the Commission's interest and to request that the Commission be-kept.informed as to the status of -the Union Station property. Mr.•Smith-.indicated in his letter that the Commission would be available to meet with Mr. Barrett_or with any potential _ buyers to discuss the matter further. 6-. Reports of.Standing Committees Budget and Finance Committee Mrs. Davisson reported that the Board of Commissioners had this morning approved the Commission's request.for revenue sharing funds in.the amount of"$5,635. The Commission's original request".had been for $7,919, which included'a sum of $2,284 for part-time secretarial assistance',.but the Commiss.ioners.were in doubt as to whether revenue sharing funds could be used for salaries under the guidelines set - forth by the federal government. The request, as approved by the Commissioners, will,be forwarded to the County Council for final action. Chairman, Smith :directed'• the Committee..to pursue other means of.'obtaining. the secretarial position- and- to. report' on their efforts at -the next regular meeting of.the Commission. Historic Landmarks.Committee The Commission took no further action,.beyond Chairman Smith's:letter'`to-Mr.-Barrett, relative to the Penn Central. Union Station. Mrs. Sporleder produced a report'on.the history and, architecture -of the South Shore Station prepared by a student, at,the University of -Notre Dame.- As'a-result of the:discussion which followed, Mr. Oxian moved that -the Commission prepare a statement to be presented to the.Board of Public Works on May 2011 at which time the Board will discuss condemnation -of the building. Such statement shall read as.follows:., 2-- 1, Y While the Historic Preservation-Commission.of-South,, Bend and'St..Joseph County, Indiana, finds that the history and architecture of the South Shore Station are not of great significance, there -.is some inherent value attached to -the property, particularly as an anchor for the River'Bend Plaza. It"is the recommenda tion,of the Commission that the property be,properly- maintained until an appropriate reuse can be found. -The motion -was seconded by Mr. Nimtz and carried with -a unanimous vote. Mr. Oxian will appear before,the_Board;of Public Works with the Commission's statement. Chairman Smith further directed that the Secretary -Pro -Tem prepare a letter, for Mr. Oxian's"signature addressed to Mr. Fred J: Helman, Chairman of,the Redevelopment Commission, indicating the. Commissions interest inthe property. Mr. Oxian also introduced the subject to'.the proposed demolition of the Kresge -Building'. He read excerpts from a number of articles on"the history of the building reproduced .from past issues of the South Bend Tribune and volunteered .to provide the Commission with a more'detailed report on the historical"and`architectural significance of -the building at' its next regular.meeting. Mr. Oxian,further moved that letters be sent to the'National Bank and Trust Company, as well as to the Redevelopment Commission, indicating.the Commission's"interest-in the -property. The motion was seconded by"Mrs. Sporleder."and carried with a unanimous _vote. Chairman Smith directed the Secretary,Pro-Tem to prepare these -letters for Mr. Oxian's signature: Historic-Districts'Committee. Mr. Nimtz reported that Mrs. Ruth Price,.Executive Vice - President of Southhold Restorations, Inc"., was unable to attend tonight's meeting to report on"Southhold's progress relative'to their proposal to place the West Washington Street area -on the National Register. due to a prior commitment".- Mr. Nimtz asked that Mrs. Price's report be placed on the agenda -for the next regular meeting of the Commission. Mrs. Davisson.presented a prospectus for a-series.of workshop/discussion seminars to be held in.the.West Washington Street and Chapin Park neighborhoods under the sponsorship of the Commission.-; The,proposed program would be' funded by" the Indiana Committee for the.Humanities, with.matching funds being provided in the way of in-kind contributions. A copy.of-the prospectus is -.appended to these minutes. Mr: Nimtz moved that the Commission grant Mrs. Davisson-and Chairman Smith the authority to refine the proposal and -to submit it to the "Indiana Committee for. the Humanities. The'motion.was seconded by Mrs. Sporleder :and carried.,by a unanimous ,vot`: 3 - r 7. Old Business: Terms.of, Office: Due•to the fact that both Mr. Baker and:Mr. Paszek were absent,' the matter of their terms of. office- will be placed on the agenda of the'next'regular:meeting of the -Commission.- Historic -Preservation. Week Mrs.' Sporleder reported,on.•a-meeting with Mr. Tom Reed, a consultant, to, the= Department of Natural ,Resources., on May- 8. Mr. Reed discussed the guidelines proposed for the -State Historical. Survey which- Southhold, will be -.'coordinating for. the ten -county Northwestern'.Region of which St.: Joseph,County is.part. Chairman Smith reported on, the success -of the meeting held at„the Beiger Home.in Mishawaka also on May 8 as part of Historic- Preservation-Week. istoricPreservation Week. Meeting with"Mr. Michael-Wiedl. Chairman Smith.advised•the Commission that Mr. Wiedl, attorney. with -the -National Trust for Historic Preservation will be available to.meet with the members of the Commission and - other interested persons to review our local ordinances on Monday,: May, 20, in .the Area Plan Commission office„ from 9:30-11:00-A.M.- By-laws Mr. Nimtz reported'that-he is writing Mr. J. Reid, -Williamson,, Jr., Executive Director of the-Historic'Landmarks Foundation.of Indiana,.asking that he review and comment on the Commission's proposed. -by-laws. Mr. Nimtz will report on Mr. Williamson's 'comments at the next regular meeting of the Commission.. 8. New Business Resign'at'ion' -of Mr. Ward Baker Chairman Smith reported that he had talked with Mr. Baker on the previous day and that due to ill health-, Mr. -Baker feels that he must•resign from the Commission. A-letter,from•Mr. Baker will be -forthcoming, and the matter of his replacement will be taken -up at the next regular meeting of .the Commission. Preservation Law -:Day Chairman -Smith. informed the'tiCommission-of the Historic Landmarks Foundation -of Indiana's Preservation Law Day to.be held in Indianapolis on Tuesday, May 21.- The -registration fee its,$10.00:. - 4 -