Downtown South Bend Plan

Hey Downtown... Are You Surviving or Thriving?

If you missed the Downtown Plan's kick-off speaker event, the full presentation along with Q&A session is provided below.

CITY ANNOUNCES DOWNTOWN PLAN

Tuesday November 13, 2023

Today, the City, along with community and business partners, announced its commitment to create a formal Downtown Plan, which will set a vision for the future of our downtown and outline concrete steps to get there.

“From the new Beacon Tower in the north to the rebirth of former Studebaker buildings in the south, the heart of South Bend will see roughly $1 billion of investment over the coming years for new homes, retail, and jobs of the future,” said Mayor James Mueller. “This downtown plan will create a vision and framework for how to expand opportunities for all and maximize the impacts of these transformational investments beyond the sum of each individual project.”

In addition to new jobs and record private investment, more than 500 new housing units are already in development in the downtown area, and the City also plans major investments at the Morris, Four Winds Field, Century Center, and the Housing Authority.

“We’re excited to work with so many great partners who have been part of the resurgence and revitalization of South Bend’s downtown as we chart the future course,” said Caleb Bauer, Executive Director of Community Investment. “Downtown is the economic engine of our community, and we want to make sure it continues to be a vibrant and welcoming place for all.”

The City team will work with stakeholders and community members during the first two quarters of 2024 to envision the future of South Bend’s downtown. Similar to recent neighborhood plans, the downtown planning process will be facilitated by international urban design experts and the City's Planning Team in the Department of Community Investment.

The City aims to finalize a contract by the end of the year with outside experts and project lead Urban Design Associates, an international urban planning and community development firm based in Pittsburgh.