04-10-06 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 10, 2006 ensure community facilities specifically in areas that cannot be revitalized by private market activities. Ms. Charlotte Sobel, Director of Development and Special Projects, South Bend Heritage Foundation, 803 Lincolnway West, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. Ms. Sobel advised that South Bend Heritage Foundation, acting as the representative for the Board of Public Works of the City of South Bend, the owners of the above cited properties, requests the rezoning of 1040 and 1102 West Washington Street, known as the Engman Natatorium and parking lot, from SF2 to O (Office). When the most recent revision of the zoning ordinance was enacted, the Engman Natatorium had been abandoned for almost 25 years. Discussions and plans were then being entertained to entirely demolish the Engman Natatorium and allow the land to revert to single family use. Therefore, the existing zoning of the Engman Natatorium properties is SF2. South Bend Heritage Foundation, the City of South Bend and Indiana University South Bend have been working together for approximately one year to plan for the adaptive reuse of the Engman Natatorium into the Civil Rights Heritage Center. The Engman Natatorium is the last remaining public building still in existence that represents the struggles of the African-American citizens of South Bend to have free and equal access to opportunities under the law. Therefore, the building itself is a significant piece of history and to have the materials of the Civil Rights Heritage Center, managed by Indian University South Bend, housed within the Engman Natatorium will make the experience even more meaningful to both those who formally study South Bend’s civil rights history and those who want to share in it. The City of South Bend, through it Redevelopment Commission, has authorized the expenditure of TIF (Tax Increment Financing) funds generated in the West Washington Redevelopment Area to support the necessary demolition of the pool area and the substantial rehabilitation of the dressing and changing rooms of the Engman Natatorium to allow the building to become the Civil Rights Heritage Center. South Bend Heritage Foundation has committed that it will fundraise privately for the funds necessary to complete the substantial rehabilitation. And, Indiana University South Bend has committed to managing the Civil Rights Heritage Center and housing the classes and activities within the Center that brings our social history alive to both its students and the greater South Bend Community.The rezonings requested will allow these activities to take place within the Engman Natatorium so that we can both teach the past and learn from it as well as honor those whose actions allowed use to be here today as one community under the law. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. There being no one present wishing to speak to the Council either in favor of or in opposition to this bill, Councilmember Pfeifer made a motion for favorable recommendation to full Council. Councilmember Rouse seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of seven (7) ayes. BILL NO. 06-06 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1045 WEST WASHINGTON STREET, COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT 2 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Councilmember Kirsits, Vice-Chairperson, Zoning and Annexation Committee, reported that this committee held a Public Hearing on this bill this afternoon and sends it to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. th Mr. P.J. Thuringer, Staff Member, Area Plan Commission, 11 Floor County-City Building, South Bend, Indiana, presented the report from the Area Plan Commission. 9