3 Minutes 1/24/13 meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Meeting — January 24, 2013 6. NEW BUSINESS D. South Side Development Area (1) continued... (Michigan- Jefferson) and a providing a new study node at LaSalle Square. The second component of the project was to complete a grocery saturation study. The purpose of that study was to identify all grocery locations within the county and then create a thematic map that showed where there is over- and under - saturation of grocery stores in the county. The third component of the project was the integration of all past and current data into the Buxton Scout program, a web based data warehouse with a mapping feature that allows the user to gather site distance information, create location maps and warehouse retailer information that is relevant to the site matches of the study nodes. The Scout program allows the user to complete a variety of new tasks such as a new specific site study, retailer profiling against a proposed user, and many other search features. This new tool allows us broader access to all of the Buxton retail clients versus just those that are on the match list. The Commission and the City of South Bend have been clients of Buxton since 2005. Buxton has assisted the City of South Bend with retail planning and study and the match services have yielded specific results on the Ireland Road corridor with Texas Roadhouse and have provided supplemental data to retailers for other locations. The Scout program allows more on- the -fly analysis and research and has great application potential for the downtown and other points of retail study around the city. The Commission has been under contract with Buxton for the Scout program since 2011 and staff is seeking funding for calendar year 2013. The total amount of the contract is $15,000. Staff is requesting to fund this contract from the South Side Development Area TIF budget. Mr. Downes asked for more detail about the way Scout was used for potential developments locally. Mr. Schalliol responded that Texas Roadhouse was on the fence about whether to locate on the south side. The information we provided them from Scout tipped the balance and they decided to do the project. Also, the Walgreens and CVS that located on Western Ave. used the information in their analysis. We don't know the extent to which it influenced them. Upon a motion by Mr. Downes, seconded by Mr. Varner and unanimously carried, the Commission approved the Buxton Scout subscription renewal from February 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014. E. Northeast Neighborhood Development Area There was no business in the Northeast Neighborhood Development Area. E