48-25 Amending the Historic Landmark Designation at 528 South Eddy Street

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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST.JOSEPH COUNTY STAFF REPORT CONCERNING AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION 4,• 4111111111110 Date: August 8,2025 Property Location: 528 South Eddy Street pt Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: Neoclassical / 1931 11 '' ,`' Property Owner: South Bend Community School Corporation .M5557 . Landmark or District Designation: Ordinance No. 9089-00 Rating: Outstanding EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: To be heard at this public hearing on August 18,2025, the South Bend Community School Corporation has put forth a proposed ordinance amending the historic landmark designation at 528 South Eddy Street (Thomas Jefferson School).This proposed ordinance includes a new legal description and new bound- aries for the landmark.The original landmarking ordinance for Thomas Jefferson School passed in February of 2000 and established the legal description for the property as "898 feet on Eddy Street by 1129.03 feet deep,"which includes all buildings and improvements surrounding the main school structure.The new boundaries as proposed would solely protect the Thomas Jefferson School building itself and the approaches to it from South Eddy Street and East South Street.This new boundary would exclude School Field,the additional athletic fields,the mainte- nance building at 420 South Eddy Street,and the parking lots. Based on language from the original landmarking ordinance,Staff believe that the intent of the ordinance was always to protect the main school building and that the legal boundaries were written out of convenience to match the parcel boundaries. No survey cards or documen- tation on the additional buildings or improvements on the lot exist in Historic Preservation Commission records prior to 2018. DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/SITE:Thomas Jefferson School was built in 1931 and designed by archi- tect Ernest Young in the Neo-Classical style.The school building is rated as Outstanding and is an intact, excellent example of the style in school buildings.The maintenance building at 420 South Eddy Street was designed in 1951 by Charles W. Cole and Son and was built between 1956 and 1957.The building has not been surveyed as part of the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory(County Survey). SITE VISIT REPORT: Staff visited Jefferson School on April 4,2025 to discuss the potential for new landmark boundaries with South Bend Community School Corporation representatives. Staff and school representatives agreed that the main Jefferson School building was of utmost importance,and the legal boundaries discussed in this public hearing reflect that. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: It is the belief of Staff that the original landmarking ordinance for Jefferson School was intended to protect the school building itself. In order to support both the interests of the Historic Pres- ervation Commission and the South Bend Community School Corporation,Staff believe it is in the best interests of both parties for landmark boundaries to be redrawn. Based on the information provided prior to this public hear- ing,Staff make a FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION for the Historic Preservation Commission to forward its favorable recommendation for this proposed Ordinance to the Common Council of the City of South Bend. Prepared by: Kate Himick, Historic Preservation Specialist Phone: 574/235.9371 Fax: 574/235.9021 Email: hpcsbsjc@southbendin.gov