DEMOCRAT
SOUTH BEND
We're Building South Bend!
Mayor Steve Luecke has guided the renaissance of South Bend, bringing $1.3 BILLION in new investments along with 1,370 new homes. South Bend has surpassed Chicago, Evansville and Kalamazoo in a national ranking of the Forbes magazine annual list of “Best Places for Businesses and Careers,” showing positive growth in economic development.
From burgeoning retail on the South Side to new housing and commercial development in the Northeast neighborhood; from new condos and restaurants downtown to expanding businesses at Blackthorn; from the clearance of dinosaur industrial building opening up land for new jobs, to high-tech infrastructure, we have a strong record of growth and development.
SUPPORTING EXISTING BUSINESSES
Mayor Luecke initiated the Commercial Corridor program in 1998 in an effort to improve South Bend’s key entryways into the city. The five corridors–Western Av, Portage Avenue, South Gateway (S. Michigan St.), Lincolnway West, and Miami Street– have been awarded allotments annually and business owners and residents have decided how to spend the money. Thus far, over $6.75 million of tax dollars has been reinvested in our community on projects ranging from facade improvements, landscaping, curbs and sidewalks to signage and drainage improvement.
City and Chamber Business Growth Initiative- Mayor Luecke embraces the opportunity to establish stronger relationships with area companies to retain and expand jobs. South Bend has partnered with the Chamber of Congress in helping to fund the Business Growth Initiative to encourage and support the retention and expansion of business and advance economic growth in our community