The historic level of development coming to downtown South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Downtown South Bend faces record investment, with more than $1 billion in projects in the pipeline. Much of that development is coming to the blocks directly adjacent to Four Winds Field.

ABC57's Annie Kate breaks down all the development coming to South Bend's transforming downtown.

"In close to a century, we have not seen this type of investment in downtown," said Caleb Bauer, City of South Bend director of community investment.

"When you think about the stadium, you know, it's great we're having games, but what it really does is it brings people to this side of town," said local developer Kevin Smith.

"I'd say the last, like, five years, especially on the south side of downtown, there are so many projects happening that it's hard to believe. Again, back in 2019, when we walked down here, we did not see any development happening, and it was a little frustrating," said local developer Kris Priemer. "Now, there's all these projects, so it's really going to make it a super cool place to hang out, to live, live in all the apartments going up, and also work, because we have all these great amenities here."

"What does a downtown need to be successful?" Bauer asked. "It needs people, it needs things to do, places to go, and we're hoping to bring all those things back."

What projects are on their way?

The Diamond View Apartments are coming, promising 60 new affordable residential units from developer RealAmerica. The "Stadium Flats" will come next, two more buildings on the same block, with 45 units each.

What about food and drinks?

Stoic Distilling Co. is set to fill the abandoned former Gates Auto location off Western Avenue. Nearby on Wayne Street, the "Ivy Alley" project promises a brewery inside a vacant building.

South Bend Cubs Owner Andrew Berlin confirmed a sports bar is coming to The Ivy at Berlin Place, across from where La Esperanza moved its family-owned business and reopened this year.

"So, what made you pick this location? Why did you want to be in this part of downtown South Bend?" Annie Kate asked La Esperanza co-owner, Monica Guzman.
"I mean downtown South Bend is really changing, they are bringing a lot of new things in, apartments, all of that," she said. "When we were offered this space, obviously it was one of those moments where we were like, 'Well, it would be kind of silly if we didn't be so close to the stadium, having all that foot traffic coming in.'"

The beautiful Union Station is now owned by the city, which ABC57 confirmed is actively in talks with Amtrak to possibly bring its South Bend station downtown.

"In '87, we almost were successful at bringing both South Shore and Amtrak downtown," Smith said. "So it's always been a bit of a dream of mine, because it's such a beautiful building, and it should be in the public domain."

Kevin Smith is the previous owner of Union Station. He sold the building to the City of South Bend and to a data center company, 1547, which is now running an operation out of the station. 1547 will also expand its offices into the nearby Claey's Candy building, located behind the ballpark on Taylor Street.

Smith, meanwhile, holds ownership over the remaining three Studebaker buildings still standing. In total, he owns more than a million square feet.

"Why was that important for you to own these buildings and to stabilize them, bring them new life?" Annie Kate asked Smith.

"Well, part of it is that you know this is a big part of our heritage," he said. "Studebaker was actually formed before the City of South Bend, slightly after Notre Dame. So, Studebaker really was the impetus that brought South Bend to where it is."

Smith is working to stabilize the buildings, saying they were too big for the city to demolish, to allow for new life. Right now, less than half the acquired square footage is re-activated, and Smith said the redevelopment will eventually include residential units.

"It's regenerating this part of town," he said.

One unsolved eyesore is the Rabbi Shulman building and Monroe Circle housing block, formerly South Bend Housing Authority units, closed down due to lack of maintenance. City of South Bend Director of Community Investment Caleb Bauer tells me it's a major priority to redevelop this block, creating more mixed-income housing that would still replace the lost affordable housing.

Annie Kate got an exclusive first look inside what will become the Momentum Entrepreneurship Hub on Main Street.

"Momentum's going to be a first-of-its-kind in our region of coworking offices and coworking space," said founder Kris Priemer.

"Why did you pick downtown South Bend, Main Street?" Annie Kate asked Priemer.

"So, there's been, on the south end, there's been a little bit of a lack of development over the Last 20-30 years. This building has been vacant for probably 6 years or so. And so there's the opportunity," Priemer said.

There's a lot of momentum coming to South Bend, building on itself and promising transformation to the areas surrounding the ballpark and far beyond.

"Now, it just feels like there's a lot more cohesion too," Priemer said. "There's not one project happening, and then like two Blocks of vacancies, it's now like, there's a project, and a project, and a project."

"This has not just happened overnight," Bauer said. "It's taken many decades of people believing in South Bend and working towards this."

This doesn't even include everything on its way to the southern end of downtown South Bend. For example, ABC57 previously reported on the three women-led developments coming to the Monroe Street Arts District. This includes the Inwoods Building, Milkweed Commons, and the affordable housing project The Monreaux.