HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 02-2025RESOLUTION NO. 02-2025
A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, INDIANA
REGARDING THE "10 MOST ENDANGERED LIST" for 2025
WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County, Indiana
(the "Commission") operates pursuant to Article 13 of Chapter 21 of the South Bend Municipal Code, as
may be amended from time to time, Title XV, Chapter 154, §§ 154.245-154.263 of the St. Joseph County
Code of Ordinances, as may be amended from time to time, (hereinafter, collectively, the "Ordinances"),
and the terms of the Interlocal Agreement between the City of South Bend (hereinafter the "City") and St.
Joseph County (hereinafter the "County") dated December 12, 2017, as the same may be amended from
time to time; and
WHEREAS, per the Ordinances, the Commission's purpose is to preserve buildings, other
structures, and sites of historical, architectural, engineering, and cultural significance within the City and
the County; and
WHEREAS, the Commission fulfills its purpose, in part, by identifying historic structures,
advocating for preservation best practices, and promoting projects that accomplish those objectives; and
WHEREAS, Historic Preservation advocacy organizations like the National Trust for Historic
Preservation and Indiana Landmarks both create lists of Endangered Historic Places to raise awareness
about the threats facing these structures, and these efforts have been instrumental in promoting the
importance of the preservation of these sites; and
WHEREAS, the Commission members have identified, through thoughtful consideration,
properties within their jurisdiction they deem exceptionally worthy of community attention; and for which
the Commission has expressed and continues to express concern for their preservation; and
WHEREAS, the Commission has agreed upon its "10 Most Endangered List" of 2025, arranged
in no particular order, as follows:
1. Greene School (24702 Roosevelt Road), owned by SOUTH BEND COMMUNITY SCHOOL
CORP, was built in 1929 as the Greene Township School and is rated as Outstanding in the
Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory (IHSSI). The building is currently vacant.
2. The Sibley Tool Buildings (224-226-238 E Tutt Street), owned by ECOBILITIES-MAAP LLC
(west portion of the buildings) and VESTED INTEREST LLC (east portion of the buildings),
were built in stages between 1885 and 1915. These manufacturing buildings are suffering from
crumbling masonry and lack of use.
3. South Bend State Bank (911 S Michigan Street), owned by HARTSELL JACK S & MALLO
BUFFY ANN & MALLO KEVIN LEE, was built in 1923 and is rated as Outstanding in the
IHSSI. This neoclassical building sits alone on the quarter block where neighboring structures
have been demolished.
4. Portage Manor (3016 Portage Road), owned by ST JOSEPH COUNTY, was built in 1906 as the
County Home and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NR-1453). Several of the
rear buildings are deteriorating, and the future use of the vacant main building is unknown.
5. St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church (760 S Michigan Street), owned by CHURCH OF
DELIVERANCE TEMPLES INC, was built in 1915 for the Grace Methodist Episcopal
Congregation. It is rated Significant in the IHSSI and is exhibiting deferred maintenance,
deteriorating cornice and masonry.
6. Platt/Wayne Place Building (235 S Michigan Steet), owned by 103-105 W WAYNE ST LLC,
was built in phases — the east portion was constructed in 1894, and in 1925 the building was
expanded and renovated. The building is rated as Notable in the IHSSI and is exhibiting
crumbling masonry and vacancies on the upper floors.
7. Crumstown School (59340 Crumstown Highway), owned by DONELSON RONALD E &
MELANIE G HW, was built circa 1937 as Crumstown School and is rated as Outstanding in the
IHSSI. The Moorish Revival structure is deteriorated, empty, and unused.
8. Rear of Marycrest/Singer Building (2011 W Western Avenue), owned by ARGEMA
INVESTMENTS INC (rear portion of building), was built in 1901 as a warehouse for Singer
Sewing Machine Co. This portion of the building is vacant, with crumbling brick, failing
concrete, and walls at risk of collapse.
9. West Side Recreation Club (1415 W Washington Street), owned by MACK ALFONSO, was
built circa 1912 as a dry goods store but is notable for its use as a recreation center and hub of
South Bend's Black community from 1929 to the 1980s. The building is vacant, with
deteriorating masonry and roof.
10. The Western Avenue Corridor (1100 and 1200 blocks of Western Avenue), owned by various
owners, was developed primarily between 1900 and 1930. The Corridor contains many vacant or
deteriorating historic commercial buildings which formed an economic hub. Buildings of note in
the Western Avenue Corridor are 1110 Western Avenue, 1117 Western Avenue, 1124 Western
Avenue, 1137 Western Avenue, 1138 Western Avenue, 1139 Western Avenue, 1140 Western
Avenue, 1143 Western Avenue, 1201 Western Avenue, 1222 Western Avenue, and 1237 Western
Avenue.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Commission as follows:
1. The Commission expresses the strongest support for the preservation of these properties,
2. The Commission advocates for the deployment of available local financial resources to assist
property owners in stabilization, restoration, and rehabilitation efforts;
3. The Commission encourages adaptive reuse of those structures listed above that may constitute
vacant, abandoned, or otherwise neglected, structures;
4. The Commission, when necessary, supports the use of enforcement mechanisms, afforded either
by controlling laws or agreed upon Standards and Guidelines, to achieve compliance with
maintenance of properties within its jurisdiction subject to the same;
5. The Commission advocates policies that facilitate relocating structures threatened with imminent
demolition to new sites to better ensure their preservation,
6. The Commission directs its Staff to present this Resolution to: each of the Owners of Record
specifically identified for the 20 properties listed above; all appointing bodies of the Commission
(specifically, the Mayor, the Common Council of the City of South Bend, the St. Joseph County
Council, and the Board of Commissioners of St. Joseph County), specific departments within the
City of South Bend, including the Department of Community Investment; the St. Joseph County
Building Department; and Indiana Landmarks.
7. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the Commission.
ADOPTED at a meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph
County, Indiana, held on May 19, 2025.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
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Sarah Andrews, President
ATTEST:
J n Downs-Krostenko, Arch. Historian/Secretary
KatHough, Vice President
[Signatures continue on next page]
Andrew Jones, Commissioner
Peter DeK er, Commissioner
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David Wyn, Commissioner