I spent a 3 days in South Bend just over a week ago, and here is the latest I have found out.  There is a possiblilty of building a museum partially on the Center for History grounds (Copshaholm Site).  It appears that there would be enough room there for a building with a footprint of 15000-17000 square feet.  It would make sense in that location to look at a 2 story building, which would give us a total area of 30,000-34,000 square feet.  This would be more than enough room for us to start with, and there is property adjacent to the site that could possibly be available later for expansion.  If we were to go this route, there would be no demolition of buildings, or relocating of residents.  The site would require the city to close about 150 ft of an existing street, which has no houses, and dead ends at the Center for History.  Preliminary discussions with the city indicate that this should not be a problem.  This would put us next to the parking lot of the Center for History.  The site that the Studebaker group is looking at as a possible site for their new building would be directly on the other side of the Center for History.  This would also allow for the possibility of sharing management with the Center for History, contracting some services from them, or some combination of both, if we would wish to pursue this.  We all realize that we are not museum experts, and would have to look a long way to find people with the abilities and experience that they already have.  They have expressed an interest in pursuing this with us, if we wish.  It is my opinion that this site would provide us with a better location and better drawing ability by being able to combine efforts with the Center for History.  If the Studebaker group would decide to also locate there, that could only help us as well.  This would also provide us with a fresh, new building, in which we could pick our own layout, and be able to better afford to operate and maintain.  At this point, this is only my personal opinion, which will be presented to the board and to the membership at the meeting this weekend.  I think we have all agreed that we wish to pursue a museum, as the recent vote indicated.  We only had one option on the table for us to look at when the ballots were prepared, and I think we have fully pursued this, as we should.  It is also our job as board of directors to pursue any and all other possibilities before making any decisions, and then presenting them to the membership.  It is my opinion that we have explored all options known at this time, and no matter how nostalgic and desireable it looks on the surface, that the old plant buildings are just not financially feasable.  I will reccomend to the board to continue to pursue the site at the Center for History at the meeting this weekend.  Will know more at that time, as majority will rule on how to proceed.  Maybe we could use some of the bricks from the old plant as a front for a new building, and give it the appearance of the old buildings?  Many options still open.  I would be glad to hear your thoughts and comments.  Please let me know what you think.  Terry.