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ST. JOSEPH COUNTY <br />PUBLIC LIBRARY <br />304 S. Main St. - South Bend, IN 46601 - 574-282-4601 - Donald J. Napoli, Director <br />September 17, 2012 <br />Mr. Timothy S. Klusczinski, President <br />South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Commission <br />227 West Jefferson Blvd. <br />South Bend, Indiana 46601-1830 <br />Re: Common Council Bill #35-12 — Former Avon Theatre <br />Dear President Klusczinski and Members of the Historic Preservation Commission: <br />On behalf of the Board of Library Trustees of the St. Joseph County Public Library, I am <br />petitioning the Historic Preservation Commission to NOT recommend to the South Bend <br />Common Council the petition that the former Avon Theatre at 307 S. Michigan Street, <br />South Bend, IN 46601, be designated as a South Bend Historic Landmark. The Historic <br />Preservation Commission's recommendation was presented to the Common Council for its <br />first reading as Bill 935-12 on Monday, July 23, 2012. We hereby petition the Historic <br />Preservation Commission to NOT RECOMMEND this ordinance for the following three (3) <br />reasons: <br />1. Professional Inspections show that the present physical condition of the facade of <br />the former Strand/Avon Theatre has deteriorated to such an extent that it is no <br />longer economically feasible to restore and its fagade is in danger of collapse. The <br />recent fall of a terra cotta stone is just one small indication that the poor condition <br />of the facade is now a serious safety hazard. <br />a. Present Condition of the Former Avon Theatre Building's Facade: <br />Three Professional Inspections: The St. Joseph County Public Library paid to have <br />professional inspections performed by three companies on the Avon's fagade. Each <br />company was also to provide recommendations and estimates for stabilizing and/or <br />restoring that Avon's facade: one by Frost Engineering & Consulting of Mishawaka to <br />check the structural integrity of the fagade. Frost was also asked to provide methods and <br />costs for strengthening the back wall that supports the fagade so that the rest of the building <br />could be removed; the second inspection by the Grunwell-Cashero Company, a Detroit - <br />based building restoration company with over 50 years of expertise in repairing and <br />restoring terra cotta facades; and the third inspection by Ziolkowski Construction, Inc., a <br />local South Bend general construction company that also has experience in restoring terra <br />cotta on buildings. Copies of these three inspections are enclosed. <br />Recipient of the 2009 Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence <br />www 1ihrnrvfnr1ife. nra <br />