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REGULAR MEETING
<br />JANUARY 9, 2017
<br />the Council — hopefully, for approval —as we wait to make sure that we get the most of those
<br />State dollars coming our way, we get the most out of those private dollars that are going to be
<br />invested for jobs, for more rooftops and residents downtown, and for the kind of city and
<br />accelerating momentum that we all believe is the right direction overall for South Bend.
<br />Brian Pawlowski, Acting Executive Director, the Department of Community Investment with
<br />offices on the 14th Floor of the County -City Building, stated that total investment in the project
<br />would be $35,000,000 and that the City would go to the Redevelopment Commission to request
<br />approximately $5,000,000 in TIF funding to be paid in installments of $2,500,000 over the
<br />coming years. He then reiterated most of the points raised by Matthews LLC designer, Velvet
<br />Canada.
<br />Those of the public wishing to speak in favor of the bill:
<br />Samuel Brown, 222 East Navarre Street, South Bend, IN, stated that he was in favor of the
<br />project from the beginning, and that he was sorry that it took as long as it did to move forward.
<br />He was glad, though, that everyone came together to make this happen.
<br />Jesse Davis, P.O. Box 1025, South Bend, IN, stated that he too was happy to see everyone come
<br />together to see this project to fruition. He stated that this project presented an opportunity to
<br />bring a grocery store to the East Bank neighborhood, and he was afraid in the last meeting that
<br />that opportunity might have been blown up.
<br />Rob Bartels, 760 Cotter Street, South Bend, IN, stated that he appreciated the time and effort that
<br />went into this project. He stated that a careful description of tax incremental financing and tax
<br />abatements is appreciated by the public, because those subjects are often poorly understood. He
<br />felt that this was a wise use of resources.
<br />Mary Bundy, 318 South Francis Street, South Bend, IN, thanked everyone responsible for the
<br />compromise, adding that this has been a very trying time for people. She stated that she had
<br />feared that the opportunity had been lost, and that the City would have to wait another ten (10)
<br />years to attract a Martin's to the downtown area. She expressed excitement over the fact that this
<br />worked out, and stated that she looks forward to a positive outcome.
<br />Those of the public wishing to speak in opposition to the bill:
<br />Rolanda Hughes, 1029 Riverside Drive, South Bend, IN, thanked everyone for their hard work.
<br />She stated that she felt, though, that some of what has been undertaken undermines the important
<br />planning process that the City has been engaged in over the past decade. Both the East Bank Plan
<br />and the Comprehensive Plan are being disregarded as the City moves forward on this project.
<br />She stated that, from a professional architectural standpoint, low to mid -rise buildings were more
<br />appropriate for the area. She recalled the words of Larry Magliozzi of the Area Plan
<br />Commission: "If this is approved, it would be practically impossible to deny variance requests in
<br />the East Bank." She added that it would be practically impossible to deny height variance
<br />requests in the City in general. She stated, If height variance requests are denied, it will be
<br />perceived — perhaps appropriately —as favoritism on the part of the Council, which isn't
<br />appropriate. She pointed out that no traffic studies had been done for the project, nor a market
<br />feasibility analysis. She felt that the statement that the project under nine (9) stories would not be
<br />profitable was a simple assertion instead of a statement based on proper analysis. She felt that the
<br />City should strive for walkable communities — communities where neighbors know each other —
<br />rather than density for density's sake. She felt that it was a bad sign that the project would be
<br />taller than the Karl King Tower.
<br />Councilmember Scott, responding to Ms. Hughes, stated that the project at six (6) stories cost the
<br />City too much and at twelve (12) stories was altogether too high. Nine (9), therefore, was the
<br />ideal compromise. He added that density was necessary and desired in the downtown area. There
<br />would be exceptions, much like in this project, and therefore Council will have to go through this
<br />process again with other developments. Councilmember Scott stated, Within our Central
<br />Business District, I would love to have people lined up to build high -rises, because that means
<br />there's prosperity and that that development wants to be in South Bend.
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