New business coming to South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- South Bend Common Council will be voting on a five-year property tax abatement on Monday night.

The property would be used to build a 105,000 square foot distribution center in Portage Prairie, which is located on the northwest corner of the city.

Common Council members are not willing to reveal the company's name simply because they said the multi-million dollar corporation has not informed its current employees that they plan to relocate the company's distribution center here in South Bend.

Portage Prairie is a concept thought up by the city of South Bend and developer Holladay Properties. According to Holladay Properties website, the total master-plan will convert 450-acres into residences, businesses and open green space. The project is called AmeriPlex at Interstate 80/90 and is planned to serve as a model for groundbreaking design.

There is currently a 146,521 sq. ft. building that was completed in 2009 called the Huron in the AmeriPlex. However, most of the suites set vacant.

Common Council member Henry Davis Jr. who represents District 2 says with the announcement of this multi-million dollar company planning to relocate its distribution center at Portage Prairie, "it shows that we are growing, and we are making progress with the job market in South Bend, Indiana." He also said, "South Bend has been picked out across the whole entire nation as a key area as for distribution manufacturing, so what we are doing is obviously creating a distribution hub

Common Council member Tim Scott who represents District 1, the property Portage Prairie is located on says, "there is currently no development at Portage Prairie right now, so this (proposed company) who probably be the first one." He said the corporation interested in coming here has the potential to bring 62 jobs to the community. in this area." He also said, "You have the bypass, you have the Toll Road right there so you could potential bring people from Ill., Michigan and other parts of Indiana."

Common Council members are tight lipped about the corporation's name. However, they did say this corporation will likely make it's name known after the tax abatement decision on the table for a vote Monday night. Scott did say the company will ship, receive electrical products and will have an annual payroll of $2.1 million dollars.

The developer Holladay Properties under the name American Superior Partners is who would be granted the green light for the 5-year tax abatement.

Calls to John Phair, the President and CEO of Holladay Properties and his son, Paul Phair, Vice President of development were not returned to ABC 57. Nor were calls returned from the company suspected in planning to relocate it's distribution center here as well.