Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout830 North Michigan Street_AA 2026-0715Sarah Andrews, President HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County has approved the following work: Demolish circular brick suction well behind North Pumping Station. Brick and concrete structure has become unstable and is collapsing. for the following location: 820 MICHIGAN ST South Bend, IN, 46601 Application No. 2026-0715 in the County of St. Joseph; State of Indiana; which is: Located in a Local Historic District A Local Historic Landmark and found this application to be appropriate according to the Standards pertaining to Local Historic Landmarks and/or Local Historic Districts. Regulations pertaining to the Historic Preservation Commission are found in Chapter 21 (Zoning), South Bend Municipal Code and Chapter 26 of the St. Joseph County Code. The issuance of this certificate does NOT in any manner, release the recipient from the responsibility of complying with the requirements of the zoning ordinances, building codes, safety codes, ADA or other requirements of the City of South Bend, the County of St. Joseph, the State of Indiana, or the United States Federal Government. This certificate is good for one year from the date of issuance and is effective from the date entered herein. Plans are on file and open for public inspection at the office of the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County, 227 West Jefferson Blvd., Suite 1400 S, South Bend, Indiana, during normal business hours. THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE NAME OF APPLICANT:City of South bend CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY: Ross Van Overberghe Historic Preservation Administrator POST IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE ON THE STREET SIDE OF THE PROJECT UNTIL COMPLETION OF ALL WORK. Phone: (574) 235-9371 E-mail: SBSJCHPC@southbendin.gov ROSS VAN OVERBERGHE Historic Preservation Administrator 7/20/2026DATE CERTIFICATE TAKES FORCE:7/20/2027DATE CERTIFICATE EXPIRES: ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Application for Certificate of Appropriateness Important Information Regarding this Request REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND SITE PLANS The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County cannot process an Application without required documentation. Comprehensive documentation provides a complete understanding of the project. Problems often occur during a project review or during the execution of the project when the property owner, staff or commissioners are unclear as to project specifics. Applications will NOT be processed without required documentation. Photographs may be submitted in digital format or in photographic print. When a project involves blueprints and/or site plans, one (1) set shall be submitted with the Application. Any documentation submitted to this office cannot be returned to the applicant. APPLICATION FEE The application processing fee for any Application for a Certificate Of Appropriateness is $20 Payment must accompany the application at the time of submission. For an electronically submitted application, payment must reach the HPC office within 48 hours following transmission. Payment can be made by credit card by contacting Business License Administrator Michelle Adams at (574) 235-5912; by cash in person in the Department of Community Investment on the 14th floor of the County City Building; or by check made out to City of South Bend. Applications will NOT be processed without the required fee. MEETING ATTENDANCE When an Application has been scheduled for any meeting, the owner, architect or contractor(s) retained for the project shall attend the meeting where their project will be reviewed and a decision rendered. Failure by the owner, architect, or contractor to attend such meetings may result in denial of the Application due to insufficient representation. CERTIFICATE ISSUANCE Certificates of Appropriateness will be filed with the Building Department of South Bend and St. Joseph County. A copy of the Certificate will be emailed directly to the owner and/or contractor(s) listed on the application. INSPECTION AUTHORITY All projects will be inspected during and following execution for compliance with the decision(s) rendered by the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County. 1 Owner acknowledges that while the Historic Preservation Commission only considers Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior features, under certain circumstances it may be necessary for the Commission Staff to have access to the interior of the building in order to accurately assess the condition of the exterior feature and that the lack of access to the interior may prevent the Commission Staff from making a favorable recommendation. Any work performed on a historic landmark or in an historic district which does not conform to the Certificate of Appropriateness certificate shall be immediately halted by the Historic Preservation Commission and the Building Department of South Bend and St. Joseph County. Fines may be levied for projects not in compliance. I read and understand the information above:Yes, Continue Date Tuesday, July 14, 2026 2 Proper ty Information Property Address for Proposed Work:830 N Michigan St Property City South Bend Property Zip Code 46601 Property Owner Information:City of South Bend Water Works Owner Email Owner Address 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., South Bend, IN 46601 Proposed Work and Project Information All projects must comply with applicable building and zoning codes. South Bend Zoning Ordinance St. Joseph County Zoning Ordinance Does your project involve any of the following? (Check all that apply):Demolition Contractor Information N/A N/A N/A Description of Proposed Work: The City is planning to perform an above-ground demolition of the brick suction well at North Station, located within Leeper Park. Based on a professional structural assessment, the suction well has reached the end of its useful life and poses a safety hazard to both Leeper Park visitors and North Station employees due to deteriorating conditions and falling debris. File Upload Site Plans, Aerial Views, and/or Blueprints: One (1) set shall be submitted with the Application. Uploaded documentation must show existing property lines, buildings, structures, and proposed project location(s). Hand Drawn Plans/Elevations are ok Photographs to include: each area affected by project, close up detail of project areas. Windows, Siding, and/or Door projects must include photographs of each window/door/siding affected by the project and detailed close up of condition Applications will not be processed if the required photographs and/or documentation are not included. Any documentation submitted to this office cannot be returned to the applicant. Project Type - List:Demolition 3 Site Plan or Aerial View of Proposed Project Location(s):PDF North Station Area Map 1_4455.pdf PDF North Station Area Map 2_5869.pdf Structural Drawings/Architectural Drawings: PDF North Station Water Plant Field Piping….pdf Quote/Evaluation(s) by Repair Professional (Optional): PDF North Station Suction Well Structur….pdf Photographs: 5.19 MB Payment Invoice ID # INV-000266 Payment Method Pay in Person 4 July 2, 2026 Mr. Rolf Seh City of South Bend, Division of Engineering - Department of Public Works 215 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Suite 400 South Bend, Indiana 46601 Re: North Pumping Station Suction Well Assessment 830 North Michigan Street South Bend, Indiana 46601 Project No. 202602038 Dear Mr. Seh: At your request, Mr. Benjamin J. Hinman, PE, of American Structurepoint, Inc., performed an investigation at the above-referenced property on June 23, 2026, and has prepared this summary report. The purpose of the investigation was to assess the brick suction well behind the North Pumping Station and determine if the structure has reached the end of its useful life. Weather conditions were mostly sunny and approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit during the investigation. BACKGROUND The North Pumping Station was constructed in 1912. It is presumed that the suction well was constructed at the same time. We understand that the subject suction well is no longer used, however, due to its location within the historical Leeper Park, a structural assessment is required to determine whether the structure should be razed. The brick suction well was superseded by active wells 1B, 2A, 3A, and 5A, which were installed between 2001 and 2019, and were also located on the grounds of Leeper Park near the pumping station. During this investigation it was requested that the interior of the suction well be opened for viewing, but employees of the north pumping station no longer had keys to open the well. The well was therefore inspected solely from the outside. OBSERVATIONS For reference purposes in this report, the subject suction well is located east of the North Pumping Station. The following observations were made regarding the subject property: North Pumping Station Suction Well Assessment July 2, 2026 Page 2 202602038 1. The suction well was constructed of multi-wythe brick walls with a concrete lid (Photos 1 through 4). 2. The outer layer of the masonry consisted of a thin-brick veneer that was delaminated and separated from the underlying wythes (Photos 5 through 8). In several areas, the brick veneer was missing altogether. 3. The exposed inner wythes of the brick well exhibited open mortar joints, efflorescence, and a crumbly/powdery appearance indicative of decreased compressive strength due to long-term moisture exposure (Photo 9 and 10). 4. Portions of the inner brick wythes had also delaminated and detached from the wall, falling to the adjacent ground surface (Photos 11 and 12). The exterior of the structure had been roped off, presumably due to this safety hazard. 5. Throughout the portions of the brick walls that were intact, cracks were observed in mortar joints, as well as widespread efflorescence (white powdery deposits) indicative of long-term water infiltration and a reduction in compressive strength (Photos 13 and 14). 6. The concrete lid of the suction well exhibited delamination and efflorescence throughout. Portions of the concrete lid had fallen off, a potential safety hazard (Photo 15 through 18). 7. Vegetative growth was observed in the cracks at the perimeter of the concrete lid (Photos 19 and 20). 8. Cast stone coping ringed the perimeter of the lid. The coping stones had open mortar joints, and some of the coping sections had shifted indicating they were loose (Photos 21 through 24). 9. Portions of the concrete lid and masonry were sounded and returned a dull thud, indicative of delamination and a loss of compressive strength. CONCLUSIONS Based on our observations, experience, and professional judgment, we are of the opinion:  The subject suction well has reached the end of its useful life based on the condition of the concrete lid, the brick masonry, and the deterioration observed. The suction well is no longer used and has been superseded by modern wells located nearby.  We recommend that the structure be demolished to eliminate the safety hazard of falling debris to patrons of Leeper Park and employees of the North Pumping Station. Please note that this report was based on a visual investigation of the property. We shall not be responsible for the investigation of, or failure to investigate, items concealed by other building components, nor for the investigation of any items outside of the specified scope of services. Any repair recommendations which might be included in this report are conceptual in nature and should be completed by a qualified contractor with the assistance of a licensed design professional if necessary. All repairs should comply with the current governing building code. If additional information is discovered that could affect the contents of this report, it should be forwarded to our office for review and comment. American North Pumping Station Suction Well Assessment July 2, 2026 Page 3 202602038 Structurepoint, reserves the right to amend and/or modify this report if any new and/or significant data that could affect this investigation becomes available. If you have any questions, or require further assistance, please feel free to contact us at your convenience at (855) 822-1966. Sincerely, American Structurepoint, Inc. Benjamin J. Hinman, PE, RRC July 2, 2026 Professional Engineer, Registered Roof Consultant Senior Project Manager, Investigative Group BJH:cdr Enclosures 202602038 PHOTOGRAPHS Photo 1: East elevation of the suction well. NORTH PUMPING STATION SUCTION WELL ASSESSMENT 830 North Michigan Street, South Bend, Indiana 46601 Project No. 202602038 Photo 2: North elevation of the suction well. Photo 3: West elevation of the suction well. Photo 4: South elevation of the suction well. Photo 5: Outer brick veneer delaminated and separated from the underlying wythes. Photo 6: Separated and delaminated outer brick veneer on ground adjacent to well. Photo 7: Outer brick veneer delaminated and separated from the underlying wythes. Photo 8: Separated and delaminated outer brick veneer on ground adjacent to well. Photo 9: Open mortar joints and a crumbly/powdery appearance at the exposed inner wythes of wall. Also note efflorescence (white powdery deposits). Photo 10: Open mortar joints and a crumbly/powdery appearance at the exposed inner wythes of wall. Also note efflorescence (white powdery deposits). Photo 11: Portions of inner brick wythes had delaminated and detached from the wall. Photo 12: Closeup of delaminated and detached portion of inner brick wythes. Photo 13: Intact portion of brick wall with cracks in mortar joints and widespread efflorescence. Photo 14: Intact portion of brick wall with cracks in mortar joints and widespread efflorescence. Photo 15: Concrete lid of suction well with delamination and efflorescence throughout. Photo 16: Partially broken concrete lid on west elevation with delamination and efflorescence throughout. Photo 17: Closeup of concrete lid with delamination and efflorescence. Photo 18: Closeup of concrete lid with delamination and efflorescence. Photo 19: Vegetative growth in cracks at perimeter of concrete lid. Photo 20: Vegetative growth in cracks at perimeter of concrete lid. Photo 21: Coping stone with open mortar joints (yellow arrow) and shifted sections (red arrows). Photo 22: Gaps between coping stone sections (arrows). Photo 23: Closeup of coping stone with open mortar joints (yellow arrow) and gap between sections (red arrow). Photo 24: Closeup of shifted coping stone sections.