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CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> changed, is really important. And, I had shared that I hoped we would have a comparative piece,
<br /> and I don't know if that was shared with you, but a comparative piece of when we last saw this at
<br /> Council, the abatement, you know, the number crunching behind the TIF and the abatement,
<br /> because if we are messing with the parts and components of this project, it will get to that.
<br /> Mr. Matthews replied, I don't think any of us are messing with the components or parts.
<br /> Councilmember Broden followed up, I don't know that. I guess that is what I want. I suggest a real
<br /> good score card in terms of this update.
<br /> Mr. Matthews replied, I'm letting you know that we are meeting all the requirements of our
<br /> documents and hitting all of what we agreed on last Council Meeting. The question at hand, and
<br /> why I think the Administration brought me here,was to see if you had questions and conversations
<br /> about the grant. We have to provide a grocery store. That is in the document. The question is, and
<br /> there is concern from the Administration and the Department of Community Investment, are we
<br /> going to have a local pharmacist open up something or are we going to try and get a CVS or a
<br /> Walgreens? What would our preference be? Do we rather have someone local do it? Would we
<br /> prefer to have a national brand that is more organized but send profits out? Same things for the
<br /> grocery side. Would we rather have local, less-sophisticated operators? Or, should we try to get a
<br /> national presence that has more sophistication? I think that was a lot of the concern. We've not
<br /> had any conversations about changing the square footage. And actually, the dollar amount has
<br /> actually gone up so that only works to the City's advantage and future tax collection. So, I don't
<br /> think we have to worry about that. If we don't have Spartan Nash, we will find somebody else. If
<br /> we find somebody else, it might be someone regional, national, local. It might be we strike out.
<br /> We still have to deliver. We've had conversations with local competent providers to see if they
<br /> want to open up extensions here in the East Bank. I know George McCree was concerned when
<br /> he found out Martin's was going to move a block away, for his bakery business. I posed this idea
<br /> to him and he is very interested in having the bakery department in whatever this super market
<br /> might be, if we don't get an easily signed lease to take care of it. As the developer, we have to
<br /> deliver but there is undefined nuance in this business. So, the Administration thought it would
<br /> make sense for me to come before you to let you know this conversation is going on and to see if
<br /> there are any strong feelings, one (1) way or another, or guidance and suggestions.
<br /> Regina Emberton, 635 South Lafayette Boulevard, stated, I'm here representing the RDA and
<br /> more to your point, I just wanted to note the RDA is very supportive of the project and definitely
<br /> want to see it come to fruition. Through the Regional Cities initiative, we allocated$4.9 million to
<br /> go toward the project. We see evidence of the project progressing, but I will note in the contract
<br /> with the developer, we require a grocery store as well. That is a critical component in order for us
<br /> to fund. So, that is something that is in the contract. The nature of the Regional Cities funding
<br /> requires a local match and that is part of the reason why the City was invested in the project as
<br /> well. So,we are unable to invest any of the funds allocated for the project until the City has invested
<br /> the local match dollars and the private investment is invested as well. So, in a sense, the decision
<br /> on the City's investment unlocks the State funding, as well. I will also note, in our agreement with
<br /> the developer, if there are material changes to the project, we would have to go back to the IEDC
<br /> to get approval on that. A material change is a defined as a change in the nature of the project, a
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