Status update: quite the change.

If there's a silver lining to having little growth for half a century, South Bend (unintentionally) largely avoided the peak sprawl era. Makes it easier to focus on making urban parts of the city even better.

Riverfront West area

Stadium Flats (in front of Diamond View)

Monreaux

Madison Lifestyle District

The seeds of hundreds of new apartment units are sprouting this spring in downtown South Bend.

View the full Downtown South Bend 2045 Plan: together.southbendin.gov/downtownplan

New park, opposite Howard Park

New riverfront access at Century Center

Also proposed is the creation of a world-class riverfront open space system, including a new park in the Riverfront West area and the removal of a portion of Century Center to improve access.

Colfax Corner / Tribune (Lafayette & Colfax)

Potential development around Four Winds Field

The plan suggests new development around anchors such as Notre Dame's Colfax Corner and Four Winds Field.

Town Square concept

Jefferson Boulevard concept

Among the ideas are concentrating active retail along Michigan Street, creating a town square, and straightening Jefferson Boulevard to its historic alignment.

Plan illustration for downtown South Bend in 2045

With the approval of the Plan Commission and City Council, a new Downtown South Bend Plan has been adopted. The plan proposes reinvigorating the heart of downtown, attracting jobs using institutional catalysts, adding diverse infill housing, and enhancing the public realm.

View of the St. Joseph River where a new bike/ped bridge will be built.

The bridge will be approximately here, looking west from the East Bank Trail.

Plan drawing for Marion Pedestrian Bridge

Last week, South Bend awarded a contract to construct a new walking and biking bridge over the St. Joseph River at Marion Street.

It's a crusade against bad infrastructure. 😉

Riverwalk at Colfax Avenue

The project will connect into the upgraded riverwalk near the new Seitz Park and the site of the second Cascades mid-rise condo building about to start construction.

E. Colfax Avenue

On Tuesday, South Bend awarded a $3.8 million contract for Colfax Avenue streetscape work just east of the St. Joseph River. Project includes raised intersections/crossings, bumpouts, new sidewalks, a shared-use path, trees, decorative lighting, and improved bus stops.

Plan for Standard House

The Standard House, Option A, was used.

A beige house with a wide porch sits on top of a small hill

Through its preapproved housing program, South Bend has now permitted 90 new homes in 67 buildings. Here is permit #16, a detached house on Clover Street.

Fantastic, but for the record, none of these were built using preapproved plans (though I think some plans are influenced/inspired by them).

A selection of new infill homes on South Bend's southeast side

Transpo had been considering adding some BRT features to its main routes, but I have not heard anything recently. Their focus has been on implementing the new route map defined by their CONNECT Transit Plan. The agency may be hobbled by not having had a permanent general manager/CEO for a year.

Before

After

A former auto service garage being used for storage turns into a bar and duckpin bowling alley

W. Wayne Street, South Bend

White house with porch

New infill home construction
Howard Street, South Bend

Rendering of LaSalle Park (the park)

Autumnal rendering of trail along Linden Avenue

More from the plan:

Rendering of Washington Street infill housing

Rendering of Western Avenue infill projects

With the approval of the South Bend Plan Commission and Common Council, a new LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan has been adopted. The plan proposes infill housing coordinated with the area's natural ecology, park improvements, and new mixed-use development along Western Avenue.

3-story condo building under construction

Rendering of a New Orleans-inspired building

Not sure this will become a Mardi Gras hot spot, but a New Orleans-style building is under construction on Notre Dame Avenue in South Bend

South Bend > St. Joseph County on new house permits

For the first time in at least two generations, more single-family house permits were issued in South Bend than in unincorporated St. Joseph County. From only about a 10% share of permits in the early 1980s, South Bend has steadily gained permit share over its suburbs.

I dug up another 10 years of data: In 2025, South Bend had its highest number of new house permits issued in at least 44 years.

Only 14 of South Bend's new homes in 2025 were built on greenfield sites; thus, well over 90% were in infill locations. By using existing street and utility infrastructure, these homes are a victory for residents, neighborhoods, and the City's taxpayers.

South Bend housing boom:
According to South Bend-St. Joseph County Building Department data, the City issued 187 new house permits in 2025; this is the highest total ever recorded in the 34-year history of the consolidated department.

Ah, yes, the perfect solution to speeding: remove a dedicated bus lane and widen the road to add more vehicular capacity. 🤔

16' wide townhouses

The townhouse comes in 16' or 22' widths, with different cladding options.

3-bedroom bungalow

The bungalow plans come in 2- and 3-bedroom options.