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South Bendel Redevelopment Commission <br />Reschedule4 Regular Meeting - April 13, 1989 <br />6. NEW DWINESS (Cont.) <br />b. Wntinued... <br />I do not blame Mr. Newbill or several of <br />e other merchants within that <br />neighborhood for being solely <br />responsible for bringing crime to the <br />West Washington area. It has become a <br />place that is notorious for crime. For <br />scme peculiar reason it has been <br />tolerated in that neighborhood and it <br />been for the last thirty years and <br />w all know that. <br />I want to say is we have discovered <br />at in the last few years, from our own <br />actical experience, that the <br />ighborhood is too far dilapidated. <br />ose are the simple, most important, <br />its from my perspective, about what's <br />ing on on West Washington Street. We <br />Dw fram a very recent experience in <br />habilitating structures on Chapin <br />reet, in very similar condition, that <br />a cost to renovate those buildings is <br />tween $50 and $70 per square foot. <br />at is equal to the cost of new <br />nstruction of One Michiana Square, <br />aantown. And if it wasn't for a <br />bstantial subsidy for the clinic on <br />spin Street, about $65,000 in the form <br />grants from philanthropy, that <br />ilding would not have been <br />Zabilitated. Mr. Hughes, South Bend <br />ritage is in the business of <br />Bserving buildings. That is our first <br />Ace and that is how we prefer to <br />Ztinue to see this neighborhood. It <br />not economically feasible on West <br />5hington Street. It is our expertise, <br />]now that, and I would say we ]now <br />!it for a fact. The buildings have <br />en void of substantial reinvestment <br />r twenty or thirty years, and the cost <br />construction has grown <br />)stantially. So the reason, from our <br />rspeetive, that the neighborhood needs <br />have a physical change, is because <br />a neighborhood has fallen dawn. And <br />told you earlier, 60% of the <br />-42- <br />