HomeMy WebLinkAboutRDA Agenda & Packet 7.22.26 South Bend Redevelopment Authority
215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Room 301, South Bend, Indiana
Agenda
Scheduled Meeting July 22, 2026 – 1 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers 3rd Floor or via:
https://tinyurl.com/RDA-July-2026 Meeting Recording Link: https://tinyurl.com/RDA-Meeting-Recordings
1. Roll Call
• Anthony Fitts, President – (Mayor) April 2024 – Dec. 2027
• Richard F. Klee Jr., Vice-President – (Mayor) July 2024 – Dec. 2027
• Erin Hanig, Secretary – (Mayor) April 2024 – Dec. 2027
2. Election of Officers A. President
B. Vice President C. Secretary 3. Approve Meeting Minutes A. March 10, 2025
3. New Business
A. Resolution No. 220 (A Resolution of the South Bend Redevelopment Authority Establishing its Intent to Issue Redevelopment Authority Lease Rental Revenue Bonds, Approving a Proposed Lease with the South Bend Redevelopment
Commission, and all Matters Related Thereto) 4. Adjournment
NOTICE
FOR HEARING AND SIGHT IMPAIRED PERSONS
Auxiliary Aid or Other Services are Available upon Request at No Charge. Please Give Reasonable
Advance Request when Possible.
March 10, 2025 – 1:30 p.m. Mayor’s Conference Room, 14th Floor or via: https://tinyurl.com/RDA31025
The meeting was called to order at 1:34 a.m.
President Erin Hanig presiding.
1. Roll Call
Members Present: Erin Linder Hanig, President Anthony Fitts, Vice-President Richard Klee, Secretary
Redevelopment Staff: Laura Hensley, Board Secretary Legal Counsel: Danielle Campbell Weiss, Senior Asst. City Attorney Attending: Erik Glavich, Director Growth & Opportunity, DCI Joseph Molnar, Assistant Dir. of Growth and Opp., DCI Todd May, J.C. Hart– Virtual
Timothy Schuster, Attorney for J.C. Hart – Virtual 2. Election of Officers
A. Nominations were made by Erin Linder Hanig for Anthony Fitts to be the 2025 President, Richard Klee to be the Vice-President and Erin Linder Hanig to be the Secretary-Treasurer.
Upon a motion by the now Vice-President Richard Klee and seconded by Secretary-Treasurer Erin Linder Hanig, the motion carried unanimously, the Authority approved the 2025 Officers on March 10, 2025. 3. Approval of Minutes
A. Approval of the Minutes of December 19, 2024
Upon a motion by President Anthony Fitts and seconded by Vice-
President Richard Klee, the motion carried unanimously, the Authority
Page | 2
approved the Minutes of the Meeting of December 19, 2024. 3. New Business
A. Maintenance and Temporary Construction Easement Agreement (South Bend Riverwalk Partners / J.C. Hart Company)
President Anthony Fitts noted for the record that he has a past relationship with Holladay Properties, however, is not involved with this partnership or this project. Danielle Campbell Weiss, Senior Assistant City Attorney, stated that that would not be a conflict of interest since this is regarding
easement rights and does not have monetary involvement.
Joseph Molnar, Assistant Director Growth & Opportunity, presented this development agreement with J.C. Hart Company Inc. Mr. Molnar explained the agreement is for transformative residential housing for two
(2) multi-family residential buildings (291 total apartments) and a 398-
space parking garage. A minimum $61.5 million in private investment is required per the agreement with City funding some infrastructure improvements (i.e.new street; utilities) through the $5.64 million READI 2.0 award on the west bank of the St. Joseph River. Mr. Molnar showed a
rendering of the area and stated that this fulfills the first phase of the
Monroe Park neighborhood plan for this area which was approved 2 1/2 years ago, by the Common Council. Mr. Molnar explained that the Authority is here today is that they own this
long track along the bank of the river and due to demolition, construction,
and maintenance, the sidewalk may have temporary closures. He stated that there are two (2) pieces to the easement. First, a grant of maintenance easement along a small section of the Riverwalk. The second, a maintenance easement, would allow access for maintenance
repair and is solely for the development area. J.C. Hart Company Inc.
would provide 48-hour notice to the City if there was a need for the sidewalk to be temporarily blocked and agreed to do their best to keep the fencing within the grassy area and not cross over except when absolutely necessary. They have also agreed that at the conclusion of the
construction easement, they would restore the area to its original
condition, and if there's any damage to the property, they shall repair it at their own expense. The timeline for the project would start in March of 2025 and be completed by the end of 2028.
Mr. Molnar gave a brief overview of the developer, J. C. Hart Company,
Inc. They are an Indiana based company and have been in business since 1976, they are a Hall of Fame employer, and 12-times voted Best Place to Work. They have also been voted Indiana Association Property Management company of the year 2009, 2014, and 2022. They are
responsible for over 6,750 multi-family units managed within Indiana and
Page | 3
Ohio. Secretary Erin Linder Hanig asked for clarification that the riverwalk would still be accessible and Ms. Campbell Weiss stated that, the intent is to not have it closed/blocked at all, but to the extent it is necessary, any closure would be for as little as possible. Ms. Linder Hanig also had
concerns regarding liability insurance. Ms. Campbell Weiss stated that,
there is an indemnity clause which protects the City, and the agreement also requires J.C. Hart to carry certain liability insurance for the affected area. J. C. Hart will be responsible for securing the site as well. President Fitts asked if there were any other property areas that will be affected and
Mr. Molnar stated that this is the only area the Authority owns and the
area to the South is owned by the Redevelopment Commission. Vice-President Richard Klee asked if this will be built in phases or all at once. Mr. Molnar stated that the two (2) structures support each other and will be built as one project. Erik Glavich, Director Growth & Opportunity, asked
if Todd May, with J.C. Hart, could give a high-level overview of the project.
Mr. May stated that the project would start with the garage and then move to the E-shaped building, then continuously phase into the 30-month time period. President Fitts asked when this Easement Agreement will get started and Ms. Campbell Weiss stated that, it would commence after J.C.
Hart closes on the property, which is expected to be by the end of this
week. Upon a motion by Vice-President Richard Klee and seconded by President Anthony Fitts, the motion carried unanimously, the Authority
approved the Maintenance and Temporary Construction Easement
Agreement (South Bend Riverwalk Partners / J.C. Hart Company) on March 10, 2025. B. Resolution No. 219 (Appointing Authorized Representatives to Conduct
Certain Administrative Acts)
Joseph Molnar, Assistant Director Growth & Opportunity, explained that this designates DCI staff representatives to conduct administrative acts such as signing documents at a closing for property transactions and only
signing off on items that have been previously approved by the Authority.
Danielle Campbell Weiss, Senior Assistant City Attorney, stated that the Redevelopment Commission has had a similar Resolution for many years and in the case of this resolution for the RDA, specified staff would not
have authority to sign off on bonds, or approve of the sale or purchase of property transactions. Only administrative matters that are time sensitive such as ordering a title search or attending a closing on behalf of RDA would be things staff could do without separate RDA approval. Secretary
Erin Linder Hanig asked if this would go into effect across the board and
not time-bound, or issue-bound regardless of Authority members or staff changes. Ms. Campbell Weiss stated that, the RDC updates the Resolution every year for any staff changes, and we would
Page | 4
expect to do similar for this RDA resolution. Ms. Linder Hanig asked if there will be a structure put in place so that going forward, future Board Members are aware of this Resolution. Mr. Molnar stated that if action was taken pursuant to this resolution, an email would be sent to make
members aware as well as an update at the next scheduled meeting.
President Fitts asked if there were any grey areas and Ms. Campbell Weiss stated when in doubt, the policy would be to err on the side of obtaining formal approval from the RDA members President Fitts asked if City staff would need to carry additional liability insurance and Ms.
Campbell Weiss stated that City employees are already covered through
the work they do in the scope of their employment. Upon a motion by President Anthony Fitts and seconded by Vice-President Richard Klee, the motion carried unanimously, the Authority
approved Resolution No. 219 on March 10, 2025.
4. Adjournment The Authority adjourned the meeting at 2:02 p.m.
______________________________ ______________________________
Anthony Fitts Rick Klee South Bend Redevelopment Authority South Bend Redevelopment Authority ______________________________
Erin Linder Hanig
South Bend Redevelopment Authority
RESOLUTION NO. 220
A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ESTABLISHING ITS INTENT TO ISSUE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY LEASE
RENTAL REVENUE BONDS, APPROVING A PROPOSED LEASE WITH THE SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, AND ALL MATTERS RELATED THERETO WHEREAS, the South Bend Redevelopment Authority (the “Authority”) has been created
pursuant to Indiana Code 36-7-14.5 as a separate body, corporate and politic, and as an
instrumentality of the City of South Bend, Indiana (the “City”), to finance local public improvements for lease to the South Bend Redevelopment Commission (the “Commission”); and
WHEREAS, the Commission, pursuant to a declaratory resolution previously adopted by the Commission and amended from time to time, has declared a certain area of the City known as
the “River West Development Area” (the “Area”) as an economic development area and an
allocation area under Indiana Code 36-7-14 and approved an economic development plan for the Area; and
WHEREAS, the Commission has given consideration to undertaking local public improvement projects in the Area including all or any portion of the following: (i) Coal Line Trail
Phase III which consists of the extension of the existing Coal Line Trail from Lincoln Way West
to the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center, and any related improvements; (ii) College Street streetscape improvements in connection with Phase III of the Coal Line Trail, and any related improvements; (iii) infrastructure improvements consisting of roads, storm water, sewer, and water utility infrastructure improvements along or adjacent to Old Cleveland Road, and any related
improvements; (iv) the acquisition, construction, renovation and equipping of a new Rum Village
Neighborhood Center, and any related improvements; (v) acquisition of land in the near west side of the City for a new neighborhood park, and any related improvements; (vi) infrastructure improvements to support the redevelopment of the former Drewry’s property and improvements to the adjacent Muessel Grove Park, and any related improvements; (vii) acquisition, construction
and equipping of a new parking garage structure attached to the Morris Performing Arts Center,
and any related improvements; and (viii) all projects related to any of the projects described in clauses (i) through and including (vii) (clauses (i) through and including (viii), collectively, the “Projects”); and
WHEREAS, the Authority desires to express its intent to issue its taxable or tax-exempt
lease rental revenue bonds in one (1) or more series in an estimated aggregate principal amount
not to exceed Thirty-Three Million Dollars ($33,000,000) (the “Bonds”) for the purpose of (i) financing the cost of funding all or any portion of the Projects and related expenses; (ii) funding a debt service reserve fund, if necessary in connection with the issuance of the Bonds or purchasing a surety bond to satisfy a reserve requirement; and (iii) paying costs incurred in connection with
the issuance of the Bonds; and
WHEREAS, the Authority seeks to enter into and approve a proposed Lease Agreement with the Commission in the form presented at this public meeting (the “Lease”) for the purpose of paying the principal of and interest on the Bonds issued pursuant to I.C. 36-7-14.5 to finance all or any portion of the Projects, and the other costs set forth above; and
WHEREAS, the Authority or the Commission may pay for certain costs of the Projects (collectively, the “Expenditures”) prior to the issuance of the Bonds, and the Authority desires to reimburse the Expenditures with proceeds received by the Authority upon the issuance of the Bonds; and
WHEREAS, the Authority now seeks to declare its intent to reimburse the Expenditures
pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.150-2 and Indiana Code 5-1-14-6(c);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Authority hereby declares its intent to issue the Bonds pursuant to
Indiana Code 36-7-14.5 for the purpose of financing all or any portion of the costs of the Projects
and related expenses and to reimburse the Expenditures, if any, from proceeds of the sale of such Bonds.
SECTION 2. The Authority hereby approves the proposed form of Lease between the Authority and the Commission in the form presented at this public meeting. The President and
Secretary of the Authority are hereby authorized to execute the Lease on behalf of the Authority
following approval of the Lease by the Common Council of the City, with such changes thereto as such officers shall approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by their execution thereof.
SECTION 3. This Resolution shall take effect, and be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval by the Authority, in conformance with applicable law.
ADOPTED at a meeting of the South Bend Redevelopment Authority held on July 22,
2026, in the City Hall Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard, South Bend, Indiana.
SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
President
ATTEST:
Secretary
DMS 53442640