Public Support Sought for the Proposed Eddy Street Commons
Periodically, Community Forum receives requests for support for projects that
address the mission of the Community Forum for Economic Development.
We do not have the resources to respond to all of these requests as an
organization. You may, however be interested in becoming involved in
these activities. — from Marguerite Taylor from the Northeast Neighborhood Council,
Inc. (NENC).
From Marguerite Taylor, NENC:
The purpose of this email is to ask you to support the proposed Eddy
Street Commons development by:
* Writing or emailing members of the South Bend Common Council
* Calling council members
* Attending the public hearings scheduled for July 9th & 16th in the
Council Chambers at the County City Building at 7:00 p.m.
For almost ten years the Northeast Neighborhood Council (NENC) has been working with local government and community entities to develop a plan for redevelopment of our neighborhood. The plan that we began with in 1998 has evolved over the years to become the proposed Eddy Street Commons. This public/private partnership has included local residents, the City of South Bend, Madison Center, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Notre Dame, Memorial Health System, and South Bend Heritage Foundation; all coming together to determine what would work best for the neighborhood, what would work economically, and how to do it without taking away from the diversity and character of the neighborhood.
We are very excited because this development will help to restore our neighborhood to the vibrant community that it used to be. The neighborhood along with its partners have developed architectural
guidelines so that the newer buildings and housing fits the style and character of the neighborhood. The plan restores the commercial section of our neighborhood. It includes retail, restaurants, office space,
hotels, and housing at varied price points. The TIF dollars from this development will be spent not only on the first phase of the Eddy Street Commons but will also fund the infrastructure needed for the housing development that is planned for Burns, Georgianna, and Duey Streets (which is called the Triangle). The housing development in the Triangle will contain both market rate housing and affordable housing. We are excited because this development will provide employment opportunities,
not only in the hotels and retail areas but also for local contractors who will have opportunities to bid on this $200,000,000.00 project.
There is a small group of individuals who oppose this project and have described it as being supersized and secretive with no community input, destroying an urban forest. The reality is:
- The NENC has been involved from day one and has provided a forum for community voice related to this development. The NENC newsletter is sent to 2500 homes in the northeast neighborhood. Each issue invites residents to attend meetings so that their voice can be heard.
- The development is designed to scale down in size as it gets closer to the residential sections of the neighborhood. It will go from a 9 story hotel on Edison Road to 2 1/2 story row houses on the southern end of the development along Napoleon.
- The 25 acres that are set aside for the development are private property that was not available for public use. Only 13 of the 25 acres are wooded. There is a 6 acre wooded ravine on the eastern edge of the development that will remain, for the most part, undisturbed and the University is developing a 12 acre town common directly across the street which will contain about 200 trees. This area will be for public use.
The Common Council members can be reached at:
President T. Rouse, D at large trouse@southbendin.gov
235.5979 Voice Mail
Karen White, D-at large kwhite@southbendin.gov
235.5985 Voice Mail
Al Kirsits -at large akirsits@southbendin.gov
235.5980 Voice Mail
Derek Dieter, D-1st dddieter@southbendin.gov
235.5982 Voice Mail
Charlotte Pfeifer, D-2nd cpfeifer@southbendin.gov
235.5983 Voice Mail
Roland Kelly, D-3rd (deceased, June’07)
Ann Puzzello, D-4th apuzzell@southbendin.gov
235.5978 Voice Mail
David Varner, R-5th dvarner@southbendin.gov
235-5984 Voice Mail
Erv Kuspa, D-6th ekuspa@southbendin.gov
235.5986 Voice Mail
This development means so much to the grassroots people who live in the
heart of the neighborhood. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
INFORMATION UPDATE: To read the South Bend Tribune description of the July 17th hearing before Area Plan Commission on this issue refer to the online version