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SPECIAL MEETING JULY 16, 2007 <br />level. The Council sometimes has to make difficult decisions, and personally he did not <br />think that Kite would get their homework done with the concessions that were asked of <br />them. He stated hats-off to Mr. Compton and Kite Realty. He commended the <br />University of Notre Dame for the commitments and concessions; it is hard to believe that <br />the project is where it stands from one week ago. He reiterated his thanks for the fire <br />suppression commitment; it is above and beyond what the fire code allows for the <br />structures in Area 5. A lot of times the Council hears complaints regarding the <br />University, but there is one statement that was heard in the past and that is when the <br />University does something, they want it done right. He reflected back on the stadium <br />addition and when the toilets weren't flushing correctly at the very first home game, they <br />went back and got it done right. There will be challenges with this project and he trusts <br />the University with their economic plan that it needs to go and the Council cannot delay <br />this issue anymore because the retailers need that season for 2009 to make this process <br />go. He thinks that the Council can get to a point where an issue can be micro-managed <br />and that's not what he wants to see. He urged the Council to move forward and vote on <br />this development tonight. <br />Mr. Tom McGowan responded to Councilmember White and stated that Kite started to <br />develop the Erskine Commons Project as a private company when Kite was still a private <br />company. His partner, Paul Kite made that statement and that was their hope and <br />ultimately what was development is exactly what they told the City they would develop, <br />it was the commitments. Obviously early on in the project there was a vision there was a <br />hope and ultimately what occurred there were retailers which in their business are their <br />customers talked about site line, parking ratios, and all the things that make a project like <br />Erskine Commons come together. It was a difficult project to attract those key retailers <br />and it is a project that they are proud of and fortunate to come to the Chamber luncheon <br />to receive the Economic Development of the Year Award and it is a great project. Mr. <br />McGowan stated that they did not get the entire vision in place and he admits that. It was <br />tied to ultimately the Economics and what the tenants demanded. The Eddy Street <br />Commons project is a very clear one, they have had an enormous amount of time to <br />interface a year and a half of working with the retailers, knowing what they need, <br />understanding the demands, so this project is much different. Mr. McGowan stated that <br />they area 1.5 billion enterprise and they are good at what they do and he wants to make it <br />very clear that the City of South Bend can count on his company. <br />Mayor Stephen Luecke stated that there has been a tremendous turn around at the former <br />Scottsdale now Erskine Commons site. There were tools that were expected to be used as <br />part of the enhancements for that site and along Ireland Road. The Sales Tax Increment <br />Financing District (STIF) that the State approved through legislation was going to be <br />used, however, there were some very severe restrictions placed on qualifications for this <br />STIF and to date they still have not enacted the STIF at that site. If they are able to do <br />that and he thinks that they are fairly close to meeting some of the requirements. Mayor <br />Luecke stated that they required that a'/z million square feet of retail space built, not just <br />planned to be built, but actually built. This is just not the way tax increments fmancing <br />works it usually is anticipated projects not come into place afterwards. He stated that <br />they are hopefully to get base qualifications to get approval from the State and generate <br />that revenue stream that will allow them to do additional things there. <br />Councilmember Pfeifer stated that she was torn up to this very minute on how to vote. <br />She stated that she has been consistent with saying that every neighborhood has a right to <br />self determination and have been consistent with that for twelve (12) years and this <br />project is certainly self determination. She stated that as she ends her time on the Council <br />one of things that she hopes to be able to do as a citizen is sit in the audience and hear <br />this kind of development on the west side of town in the Second District. She stated that <br />she has heard tonight from a lot of people that we are one community, then that means <br />that she expects everyone in this room to be here supporting development on the west <br />side. She expects with the same fervor and zest that you would expect on the Southside, <br />northeast side, and the University of Notre Dame to support more than just homeless <br />centers on the Westside of town and treatment centers. She expects the University to step <br />up on the Westside just like you have tonight, if Notre Dame says they weld themselves <br />off into the community, then you are correct, now is their opportunity to continue that. <br />23 <br />