Benton Harbor riverfront redevelopment plan nears final draft as public input continues

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- After years of research and community input, a plan to redevelop Benton Harbor’s riverfront is nearing its final stage, with a completed proposal expected by the end of the week.

The project is a collaboration between the city of Benton Harbor, Cornerstone Alliance, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission and the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture.

Leaders presented potential ideas for the riverfront redevelopment, with walkability, recreation and safety emerging as key themes.

The effort is supported by a $22 million Build grant, which is helping fund research and public engagement as the city works toward a detailed, buildable plan for the riverfront.

Marianne Cusato, director of Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative at Notre Dame’s School of Architecture, said Benton Harbor’s population decline highlights the need for investment.

“Historically Benton Harbor at its peak had 19,000 people that lived here,” Cusato said. “Right now there’s just over 9,000. That’s essentially just a complete collapse of the population.”

The redevelopment effort aims to attract new businesses, recreation opportunities and residents while addressing challenges posed by the city’s location along the riverfront.

“We keep hearing about all of the amazing people that are from Benton Harbor,” Cusato said. “We would love to find a way to create a place where they want to come back to.”

Public feedback has helped shape the project’s research so far. Leaders are examining how potential restaurants, shops and outdoor recreation spaces could be connected to create a more walkable riverfront.

South Bend’s Howard Park has been used as one example of how public spaces and recreation could be incorporated into the plan.

Andrew Hanne, senior vice president at Cornerstone Alliance, said the final proposal must reflect what residents and businesses want for the community.

“This project in this plan has to be unique to Benton Harbor,” Hanne said. “It has to be heard from the residents, the businesses, the folks who come here on vacation or to conduct business. We’ve got to hear from them.”

The goal is not to completely reinvent Benton Harbor, but to build on the city’s existing identity.

Cusato said the riverfront presents an opportunity to connect Benton Harbor to nearby downtown areas while maintaining a distinct identity, saying the challenge will be making sure the redevelopment does not simply become an extension of St. Joseph, but instead creates something uniquely Benton Harbor.

Residents still have opportunities to weigh in before the plan is finalized. Cornerstone Alliance and the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture are scheduled to hold open houses Tuesday, Aug. 18, and Thursday, Aug. 20.