South Bend School Board hears plans for the sale of Marquette School

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --  After more than a decade of uncertainty, the South Bend Community School Corporation is moving forward with plans to breathe new life into the long-vacant Marquette School building.
On Monday night, the Board of Trustees approved a resolution to sell the historic property to the City of South Bend, which plans to partner with the United Way of St. Joseph County to transform the site into a “one-roof” neighborhood center.

The building, located in South Bend’s far northwest side, has been abandoned since 2010, when it was replaced by the new Marquette Montessori Academy just down the road.

“This has been something that the United Way and the city have been working towards — finding a location for a one-roof center in the far northwest neighborhood,” said Caleb Bauer, South Bend’s director of community investment.

The envisioned facility would provide a range of services, including early childhood education, mental health resources, and a WIC program. United Way already operates a similar center on the city’s southeast side.

Mark Harriman, president and CEO of United Way of St. Joseph County, said community input has been central to the project’s development.


“There’s a strong possibility for some symbiotic relationship between that school and the South Bend community,” Harriman said. “Neighbors keep telling me, ‘Yeah, a neighborhood center — that’s what we need.’”


The estimated sale price of the property is $60,000. While the transaction is not yet finalized, the school board’s approval clears a path for the redevelopment to proceed.

Once the city takes ownership, United Way plans to launch a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $14 million for the building’s renovation. Harriman said he hopes the center can open as early as 2030.


As the building is historically protected, the city and United Way will work closely with the Historic Preservation Commission. Investors involved in the redevelopment plan to preserve key architectural features of the former school.