HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-17-10 Ground-breaking begins for East Bank Townhomes
Office of the Mayor
NEWS RELEASE
May 17, 2010
2 p.m.
Ground-breaking begins for East Bank Townhomes
Contact:
Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564
or Sue Solmos, Residential Marketing Specialist, 235-5879
City officials, business leaders and the developer of 12 townhouse-style condominiums
along the East Bank of the St. Joseph River will break ground at 9 a.m. Wednesday (May
19) for construction of the first six units of the East Bank Townhomes.
David Matthews, principal of East Bank South Bend LLC, already has sold two
condominiums for the new East Bank Townhomes and is finalizing another two
contracts. He plans to build six units this year and another six in 2011.
The ceremony will take place at the northwest corner of Sycamore Street and Colfax
Avenue near the riverfront. Parking is available at the west end of the Commerce Center
lot. The event is sponsored by Downtown South Bend Inc. and the City of South Bend’s
SELL South Bend initiative.
The sale of the former Rink Riverside Printing site was approved by South Bend’s
Redevelopment Commission in February along with preliminary site plans. The site was
considered to be one of the most prominent available parcels downtown.
The two-story condominiums will have brick facades, nine-foot ceilings and attached
two-car garages. Prices will start at $175,000 to $350,000 per unit, ranging in size from
1,700 to 3,500 square feet. Units, which are customizable, also will include basements,
patios and Juliet balconies. Eight units will face the river.
“The objective with the Rink site is to put up very high-quality townhome housing that
appreciates in value, but sell it at a price that young professionals and families can
afford,” Matthews said.
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Mayor Stephen J. Luecke highlighted the project in his 2010 State of the City address as
a sign “that South Bend may be seeing the spring thaw to challenging economic times.”
“We are pleased to support this exciting private development that will add to the growing
number of downtown residences,” Luecke said. “These new condominiums will provide
an exciting option for young professionals or empty-nesters seeking the quality of life
provided by a residence overlooking downtown and connected to our Riverwalk.”
Overlooking the Morris Performing Arts Center, the 0.83-acre site was acquired by the
commission and cleared in 2005 after the relocation of Rink Riverside Printing.
Matthews also is developing the Ivy Quad luxury condominiums just east of Ivy Field
and the University of Notre Dame campus. Ivy Quad is the only private residential
development in northern Indiana seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design) certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. The first of 10 buildings
planned for Ivy Quad is already complete with eight units finished. Another five units in
a second building are nearly complete with two more scheduled for completion by
August. The Ivy Quad units range between 1,400 and 6,000 square feet. Prices range
from $230,000 to $1 million.
“There are a huge number of people from Granger looking at downsizing. They come to
Ivy Quad because they want an urban lifestyle and to be environmentally responsible,”
said Matthews, who sees the East Bank Townhomes as a site that will be more attractive
and affordable for people already in the area. While Matthews is not seeking LEED
certification, he said the East Bank Townhomes will incorporate green environmentally
responsible materials and sophisticated construction methods yielding superb energy
efficiency.”
More details about the project are available at www.EastBankSB.com
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