Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutEstablishing a Historical Landmark - 108 N. Main St. - JMS BuildingORDINANCE No. a9,~9a Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana June 22, 98 19 Arrest: Ciry Clerk Attest: C~ ~ President o Common Council .f Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana June 23, 19 98 Ciry Clerk Approved and signed by me June 24, 19 98 Mayor ORDINANCE N0. Iv AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING AN HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR THE PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE JMS BUILDING LOCATED AT 108 NORTH MAIN STREET, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Whereas, The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County has petitioned for the designation of the following described real estate as an Historic Landmark under the Ordinance No. 5565-73, as amended to wit: West sixty-two and one half (62.5) feet of Lots 41: 19 and 20 of the Original Plat of the City of South Bend Whereas, The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County has recommended the designation of the PROPERTY as an historic landmark. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA: SECTION 1. That the above described PROPERTY be, and it is here designated and established as an Historic Landmark under Ordinance No. 5565-73, as amended. SECTION 2. That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Common Council, approval by the Mayor and its publication. 1st READING ~ -Z~-' PUBLIC HEARING6 ~~. 3rd READING ~j ~~02~ /, NOT APPROVED REFERRED PASSED ~-~2-9~ Filed in Clerk's Office r~~~~Y o ~ ~9~0 LORETiA J. DUDA CRY CLERK, 30. BEND, IN. Member of the Common Council COMMTTEE REPORT TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: Your Commitee of the Whole, to whom was referred: BILL NO. 45-98 A BILL AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING AN HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR THE PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE JMS BUILDING LOCATED AT 108 NORTH MAIN STREET, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion, this bill has been recommended to the Council favorably. John Broden Chairman South Bend and St. Joseph Country HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Room 1123, County-City Building South Bend, IN 46601 (219)235-9798 Fax (219) 235-9598 John Oxian, President David Duvall, Director Common Council of the City of South Bend C/0 Ms. Loretta Duda, Clerk of the City of South Bend 4th Floor County-City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 May 7, 1998 Honorable Council Members, Please find attached a proposed amendment to the City of South Bend's Zoning Ordinance. The purpose of the amendment is to establish the property located at 108 North Main Street as a Local Landmark. A copy of the Historic Preservation Commission Staff Report for this proposal is also attached providing background and procedural information on this proposal. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to presenting the Landmark proposal to the council. Please call if you have any questions regarding the proposed ordinance. rs truly, cc: John Oxian -President, HPC Filed in Clerk's Office f-1QY 0 8 1~Qr LORETTAJ. t)UDA CRYCLERK, SO. BEND, ItJ. John Borkowski Martha Choitz David B. Duvall R.A., Director COMMISSIONERS Adrian Fine Catherine Hostetler Janeanne Petrass J. Edward Talley Jerry Weiner kited in Clerk's Officc i~1i~Y 0 8 1~9~ LOREITAJ. pilaA CITY CLERK, ~O. BEND, ITJ. JMS BUILDING PROPOSED LOCAL LANDMARK 108 NORTH MAIN SOUTH BEND, INDIANA H.i.stori.c Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County May, 1998 DOWNTOWN MULTIPLE RESOURCE AREA (35000 - 35499) ~tn ~o fn war ~" Sr ~ _ .. ~ ... 1 .029 I La Sa e p .027 O ` I ~~ i ,021 ~\ y,~, 0 s I .02 °ol I •? . ~ .025 bM I ° Colfex Avenue o c i I ' = ~ o .015 .017 3 ^ o° 0 v r N n ,020 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 b d ° ^ w ~ n te.. ~ ~ I ~ .019 0 0 a ~ I I a ^.024 n rt I Washington Stree n ~ m o °. i ~' .018 0 o I o 0 023 ~ I c I 1 I .016 T b LOCA ION ~ S ° ^ ~ I I ' I Jefferson 022 b O I b I ~_ I ~ I m O N O y O I I .028 I b I I I ~ I o ~Wayna Street • HultiFle R •OUrce Area ' LOCATION MAP ~ ~\ •~ ~ j ,- ~~~~31 ~~ GI]RRRNT PHOTOGRAPHS 108 N. Main (.JMS Bixi l.di.ng) ?M S 1~1d~. ,JMS Building .108 N. Main , HISTORICAL CONTEXT This property is located on the northeast corner of North Main and West Washington Streets of South Bend, Indiana. The property is located i.n the original plat of South Bend as the west 62 1/2 feet of lots 19 and 20. John Mohler Studebaker was the vice president and treasurer of the Studebaker Manuf_actiiring Company, later becoming its president and chairman. John Mohler Studebaker purchased lots 19 and 20 of the Original plat of Sotith Bend around 1.908 with the intent of constructing a new more modern office building. In 1909 he contracted Solon S. Beman, of Chicago, to design the building and H.G. Christman Company to build it. The architect, Mr. Beman, was originally from New York where he apprenticed with Richard UpJohn. After his apprenticeship he came to Chicago at the req~iest of Mr. Pullman. Mr. Pttllman hired Solon Beman to design his house and later had him design the town of Pullman, Illinois. Mr. Beman used his knowledge of the Chicago Schao] of design along with his experience ga.i.ned at the Colombian Exposition to design the eight story JMS Building. . Beman utilized steel, granite, glazed terra cotta and many classical decorative features in his design which was finally realized i.n 1910. Upon i.ts opening the first floor of the building contained commercial. businesses while the remaining seven floors were rented office space. John M. .Studebaker owned the building until his death in 1917 when it was passed into the hands of a trusteeship set up by his will. The members of the trusteeship were, John Mohler Studebaker Jr., Frederick Fish and George Witwer., they maintained control of the building until April of 1936 when they relinquished their trusteeship to John Mohler Studebaker III. Eight months later in December of 1936 John Studebaker III sold the building to Eugene B. Warner for X175,000.00. Mr. Warner owned the property and continued its original use until .his death in 1.946, at. which time the control of the building went to the First Bank & Trust as trustees. In 1970 the Bank sold the building to AGA Realty Company on land contract. AGA Realty Company immediately began plans for a complete interior renovation to bringhe building up to modern standards. As these plans got under way plans to add a two to three story annex-to the north side of the building began to appear. In 1973 AGA Realty Company and the First Bank & Trust sold the building to Economic Development Company, who completed the remodeling i.n 1975. ARCHITECTiJRAI~ DESCRIPTION This eight story classical. revival style of f.i.ce strtictixre was b~iilt in 1.910 by John Mohler Studebaker. The facade is comprised of six bays ~to the west and three to the south and is covered with white terra cotta classical detailing. It is also clearly divided into three registers which ar.e separated by strong projecting and intervening cornices. The bottom of each cornice is punctuated by volutes and honeysuckle designs which were placed between each bay. The middle of the structure is articulated with a three bay system which continues to the second intervening cornice, once again embellished with classical detailing. The top floor is further distinguished by the use of arched bays which are topped by elaborate egg and dart moulding. The overall decorative detail of the structure tends to .reflect the impact of the Colombian Exposition of which the architect, Solon S. Beman, was a major participant. However, the frank expression of the steel frame, which allows maximum admission of light and open interior space, links the building to the Chicago School. of skyscraper construction. The building has a flat roof with robust projecting cornices that have egg and dart molding and decorated voluted console brackets. The structure has a modern aluminum stone front entrance and further modern stone fronts along the street. The windows are 1/]. double hung with. simple decorated spandrels, except for the eighth floor which has round even spans and cartouche keystones. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Landmarks Criteria as adopted by the Common Council, the site at 108 N. Main has been recommended to the Common Council for designation as 'a Local Historic Landmark by the Historic Preservation Commission. The building meets the criteria in at leas Y. three areas: l.) Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristic or innovation. 2.) Its suitabi..lity for preservation. 3.) Its identification with the life of a person or persons of historical significance. The building fulfills criteria ~F1 as an excellently preserved example of a Classical Revival Style advanced office building with Chicago School. influences. The building i.s the first example of modern office building construction in South Bend. The building is rated an Outstanding Thirteen in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. The building fulfills criteria ~~2 by the integrity of its original construrti.on with only minor alterations. Alterations are limited to the storefront and entry facades at the ground level. The building fulfills criteria 4~3 by its association with prominent South Bend citizen John Mohler. Studebaker, vice president of Studebaker Manufacturing Company. In addition to its well known owner. it was designed by Solon S. Beman, the man responsible for designing Pullman, Illinois as well. as several other buildings in South Bend such as J.M. Studebaker's residence, "Sunnyside". At its April meeting, the Historic Preservation Commissio found that that the building meets the criteria for designation as a Local Landmark and recommended the btxi.lding to the common council. for such designation. 5/7/98 DBD