South Gateway S. Michigan-S. Main Comm. Corridor Action Plan 1998

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Introduction Historically, South Bend has been the commercial center of St. Joseph County and an important cog in the Midwest manufacturing system. It has a national reputation as the home of Notre Dame University. South Bend is well served by transportation corridors including Interstate 80/90, the Indiana Toll Road, and IND 933. The Toll Road carries east -west traffic just to the north of Downtown South Bend while IND 933, the main north -south route goes through the center of Downtown. This study examines the southern portion of IND 933 from the bypass to downtown, an area known as the South Gateway. As is normal along major gateways, there is extensive commercial development in the study area. That development in combination with the high volume of traffic led the City of South Bend to designate the study area as a commercial corridor worthy of special planning attention. In January of 1998, the City of South Bend commissioned Business Districts, Inc. to undertake this Commercial Corridor Action Plan. This Action Plan integrates existing information, physical analysis, market analysis, and developing trends into a strategy to revitalize the area. Action Plans have several important purposes. They outline when, how and by whom the activities are to be carried out. But the purpose of an action plan is more pervasive than just directing output. Action plans should: weave the elements of a strategy into a united, cohesive entity, act as road map, stimulate thinking and make better use of resources, inform new participants in the plan of their role, assist management in their control and monitoring functions, provide a document that can be approved, rejected or modified. To accomplish these purposes, a commercial corridor action plan builds on the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business mix, uses the available physical resources and support systems, fits trends, and recognizes development opportunities. These are the tangible and intangible aspects of the area that define it for the community. Every plan benefits from a structure that organizes the effort into goals, objectives, and action steps. A goal defines where the effort is heading. An objective defines strategies that will be necessary to achieve the goal, and action steps outline specific procedures for meeting each objective. The goal of this Commercial Corridor Action Plan is: To establish South Gateway as an attractive entrance to Downtown South Bend that also provides convenience shopping, offices, and services for commuters and adjacent neighborhoods. The South Gateway also should protect the attractive nearby residential areas and provide alternative sites that avoid sprawl as retail businesses locate to capitalize on customers attracted to the renewing Scottsdale Mall. The pages that follow first examine the existing conditions and then identify 24 objectives and more than 75 action steps design to achieve the plan goals. Thirty-seven development sites are identified. Implementing this plan requires a significant commitment from the citizens of South Bend. Often when a report of this length is finished, those participating in Bisiness Districts, /nc. South Gateway Commercial Corridor Action Plan 1