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page 11 <br />the district because she loved its historic <br />character --its brick streets and beautiful old homes. <br />She had brought letters of support from people unable <br />to attend the hearing. <br />A resident of 420 W. Madison said her house was very <br />close to three fine churches. If the neighborhood <br />was good enough for these churches, it was good <br />enough to be a historic district. <br />The owner of 608 Cushing said his house was old and <br />beautiful, and he was trying to preserve it. Many of <br />the houses near him, however --houses of similar <br />character --were deteriorating. <br />The owner of 428 W. Monroe said that the neighborhood <br />was in a critical state, balanced between decline and <br />improvement. Standards, she felt, would make a <br />crucial difference in this balance. <br />Mr. Richard Kilbase of 733 N. Scott said one of the <br />city's goals was to foster a vital inner-city <br />neighborhood. Considerable money had already been <br />invested in the area to revive the inner city; <br />standards would protect the improvements, and <br />encourage further investment. <br />The owner of 428 W. Navarre said that, 10 years <br />before, the house opposite his had been the finest on <br />the street. Now, it was a wreck. Such decay should <br />be stopped. <br />Ms. Andrea Kilbase of 743 N. Scott said the proposed <br />district area had great potential for improvement. <br />Admittedly, there were problems; but it was better to <br />confront these problems than to abandon the <br />neighborhood. She hoped a district would help save <br />the neighborhood. <br />The owner of 627 Leland said she and her husband had <br />worked hard to maintain their 1910 home, but were <br />dismayed by the rapid deterioration on all sides. <br />Mr. Dave Warner of 624 Leland said he lived in a fine <br />old home, near houses of similar character. At <br />present, his neighbors were trying to maintain their <br />houses; but he feared that, without a district, more <br />and more of these houses would undergo alterations, <br />and become nondescript. <br />Mr. Paul Rohleder of 722 Harrison, a life -lona <br />resident, said he had invested heavily in his own <br />home. He had seen many of his neighbors fall prey to <br />vandalism, arson, burglary etc. He hoped a district <br />