St. Joseph adding to East Bank

Source: South Bend Tribune, Ind.24小時迷你倉Jan. 02--SOUTH BEND -- Apartment buildings and condominiums aren't the only types of new construction slated to rise in the next few years in the East Bank area.Members of St. Joseph Catholic Church have pledged to donate $4 million over three years to support an expansion of their parish's campus in the neighborhood east of downtown.St. Joseph has been an East Bank anchor since 1853. The Rev. Kevin Russeau sees this project as a way to enhance the parish's strong relationship with the surrounding neighborhood."This is a place for worshipping; this is a place for education," Russeau said."We try to take care of those who are poor in our neighborhood," he added, "and that's not just the Catholics -- it's anybody who calls us."The East Bank has seen significant revitalization in recent years.The new St. Joseph High School, built at a cost of $35 million, opened in 2012 on the former site of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. Matthews LLC has built 16 town houses in two riverfront locations at a cost of $8 million since 2010, and developers have proposed another $25 million worth of residential and retail projects in the neighborhood.Karen Schefmeyer, secretary of The East Bank Village Partnership, an association of residents and businesses, said the expanded St. Joseph Grade School will be another factor that draws people into the neighborhood."It will bring more families into our area. It will attract other businesses," said Schefmeyer, who manages properties for Action Mortgage, a company owned by her husband, Don Schefmeyer, and based in the Parkview Atrium building across from Howard Park.She noted that many people in the East Bank are hoping the neighborhood will attract more single-family housing.One prime spot for redevelopment is the 10-acre property where the Transpo bus system had its headquarters until 2010. Schefmeyer said the fact that there are several scho迷你倉旺角ls within walking distance of the site is one of its selling points."It's the ideal thing," she said, "to have this school expand in this neighborhood."The plan calls for an addition to the school that would include a gymnasium and more classrooms as well as space for a prekindergarten program. Russeau said the groundbreaking could be as soon as this spring but most likely will be in the spring of 2015.The old parish center that faced St. Louis Boulevard was torn down this past summer to make room for the building addition and new green space where the school's 450 students can play. The former Family Justice Center at the corner of Colfax and St. Louis is now home to the parish's offices and a new preschool program.The parish also bought the shuttered Hi-Speed Auto Wash in June at the northeast corner of Hill Street and East LaSalle Avenue. Now the site is a parking lot.That parking plan is an example of St. Joseph officials listening to and working with neighbors.Church officials originally identified the vacant, city-owned lot at the northwest corner of Colfax and Hill as the ideal place for additional parking. Many residents and business owners chimed in that they would prefer to see that corner developed in a way that complements the retail mix in the neighborhood.No one spoke against the church or school. They simply asked for a different parking plan, and St. Joseph officials responded by changing it.And, as a matter of fact, that gravel lot has a development plan.The city's Redevelopment Commission approved an agreement earlier this month to sell the property to Colfax Hill Partners, which has proposed a $2.9 million apartment-and-retail building for the site.KAllen@SBTinfo.com574-235-6244Twitter: @KevinAllenSBTCopyright: ___ (c)2014 the South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Ind.) Visit the South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Ind.) at .southbendtribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesmini storage