A
storefront studio at 217 S. Michigan, the South Bend Downtown Design Center
allows students to interact with architecture and development professionals
and community leaders to contribute directly to the urban evolution of the
city. Recent projects include preliminary designs for Fredrickson
Park, the 16-acre former landfill site two blocks
away from Notre Dame’s campus. Plans are underway to turn the long-neglected
property into an environmental education park. In another studio project,
students offered plans for South Bend’s Howard Park neighborhood.
Set on the east bank of the St. Joseph River on the edge of the downtown
business district, students proposed mixed-use urban quarters containing
single-family homes, condominiums, apartments, shops and office space.
The Design Center shares a 10,000-square-foot space with several other entities from the University including the Office of Community Relations and gallery space operated by the Snite Museum of Art, the Institute of Latino Studies and the Department of Art, Art History and Design. Downtown South Bend Inc. (DTSB), a non-profit organization dedicated to the quality of life and growth of downtown South Bend, also has its offices in the building.
