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REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 23, 2006
<br />did not speak to the City about that opportunity. Holladay Corporation has talked to the
<br />City about developments on their site, if fact, the City had an agreement several years ago
<br />to support condominium development on that site. The Holladay Corporation decided
<br />not to build at that point. That was there decision, they did come back to the City, with a
<br />proposal for a hotel and a pedestrian bridge across connecting to the Century Center, and
<br />they wanted the City to invest 17 million dollars, the City felt that that was too large of an
<br />investment to make, based on the ratio to the private investment being made. Yes, we did
<br />say no to that proposal, but we are certainly open to and continue to work with Holladay
<br />Corporation on other developments around the City, including Portage Prairie. Mr.
<br />Masters said that St. Joe Med Center left because the State didn’t widen SR 23. Mayor
<br />Luecke stated that he can say that the State’s plan several years ago to widen SR 23 was
<br />to run a through way through the neighborhoods and that’s not good planning, that’s not
<br />good development, and it would not have kept St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend. The
<br />City worked hard with St. Joseph Med Center to see what there needs would be. It would
<br />have required clearing six to ten blocks of housing for their building and expansion in the
<br />City of South Bend. The City had talked about other alternatives for a variety of reasons,
<br />primarily because of space; they decided to move to a Greenfield site. A contrary
<br />example to that, look at Memorial Hospital. Memorial has in effect built a new hospital
<br />at its current location, working with the City Administration. Mayor Luecke stated that
<br />they have a great working relationship, and the expansion has protected the adjacent
<br />neighborhoods, but has allowed them to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in their
<br />plan at that site. They continue to serve as an anchor on the north end of South Bend.
<br />Mayor Luecke stated that he takes much offense at the suggested that City Plan could
<br />have been put together over a cup of coffee in ten minutes by business people. He stated
<br />that he respects and appreciates and welcome the input from business people in this
<br />community. He stated that they invited business people to every public session that was
<br />held and a special session jointly with the Chamber of Commerce for business people to
<br />have input into the City Plan. Mayor Luecke stated that they will continue to have input
<br />from business people and will continue to work with them. When you look at what has
<br />happened over the past ten years, Mr. Schefmeyer mentioned Century Center, a great
<br />anchor for downtown South Bend, a non-taxpayer entity, a thorn for Mr. Schefmeyer, in
<br />the last ten years, we have seen the renovation of the Morris Performing Arts Center,
<br />another great anchor for downtown South Bend, it brings in thousands and thousands of
<br />people into downtown. The renovation of the Palais Royale, the expansion of Crowe
<br />Chiszek also very vital to the downtown. Crowe was one of the early anchors in block 6.
<br />The City worked very hard with Crowe provide space for them to expand and add
<br />another 50,000 square foot building. Expansion across the river, Environmental Health
<br />Lab, again, the City working very hard with them to allow for that expansion to continue.
<br />The expansion of Press Ganey, another company that the City has worked very hard with.
<br />South Bend Chocolate Café of course located in downtown South Bend. Retail
<br />development on the South side South Bend. Retail development on South Michigan
<br />Street, a significant number of investments throughout the community, there has been
<br />good planning by this administration, planning in a number of areas, planning to address
<br />the legacy of Studebaker. The City has been left with dinosaur buildings, finally after
<br />forty years; the City is addressing that issue and clearing that land, so that we can get new
<br />private investment and new jobs in those areas. The City is addressing Brownfield
<br />factors, addressing combined sewer and long term control plan needs for the community.
<br />The City has worked very hard to bring new investment, new jobs and new development
<br />all over town, from the retail on the South Side, Blackthorn, over 500 million dollars of
<br />investment, 7,000 new jobs on the north side, Portage Prairie beyond that working with
<br />Holladay Corporation, A.J. Wright on the Westside, Northeast Neighborhood, all of that
<br />results of good planning, hard work, working with partners in the private sector. Mayor
<br />Luecke stated that they will continue to do that, City Plan allows the City to move
<br />forward and continue building on those successes. Mayor Luecke again urged the
<br />Council’s favorable adoption of City Plan.
<br />Dr. Varner addresses the non-substantive changes. He stated that the downloaded version
<br />does not include all of those corrections. He doesn’t understand why a corrected copy is
<br />not available.
<br />Pam Meyer stated that the downloaded version is the same as the black and white version
<br />that is before the Council tonight and what the Area Plan Commission received. Those
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