SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Tribune’s former building may be getting a facelift, with the possible creation of 400 full-time jobs and 340 temporary construction jobs to go with it.
But one member of the South Bend Economic Development Commission raised concerns about the nature of the jobs at its Thursday, Feb. 5, meeting, where South Bend Community Investment Executive Director Caleb Bauer presented details about the Colfax Corner project and the city’s financial contribution.
The Colfax Corner project aims to incorporate the historic Tribune building at 225 W. Colfax Ave. and a new five-story building at Main Street and Colfax, separated by an outdoor courtyard.
The project, led by investment management firm Ancora and the University of Notre Dame, is a 202,000-square-foot research and innovation hub. Notre Dame also received a $30 million matching grant from Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration initiative to create what the university has named the Downtown South Bend Tech and Talent Hub.
Nearly 125-150 of the possible jobs will be associated with Notre Dame. The remaining jobs will be focused on the high-tech sectors of artificial intelligence, data analytics and advanced computing.
Some concern arose from the committee regarding whether the jobs would serve and include the community.
“I can see more employees from the university coming in versus more local individuals, and I think that’s the concern,” President Cecilia Lopez Monterrosa said. “It is going to be for the community, I mean the community is paying the taxes, so we do want to move forward in a way that’s going to benefit [the community].”
Part of Bauer’s presentation addressed the city’s financial support for the project through an Innovation Development District (IDD) bond, which will be repaid by incremental tax revenue generated by the project.
A hub for high-tech companies
Notre Dame purchased the former Tribune building in September 2023. The Tribune operated in the building from April 1921 to November 2019, when it temporarily moved to Union Station before moving into its current offices in the former Studebaker main assembly plant at 635 S. Lafayette Blvd.
Notre Dame will share the space with other vendors, those of which are still in negotiations.
“We’re targeting companies in the advanced industries, such as advanced computing, data analytics and AI whose research and development activities complement the university’s strength,” Ancora Vice President of Development Tom Sardelli said.
According to a press release from Notre Dame, the university is working closely with Ancora to create a vibrant space to connect innovation and the community through attracting world-class research and talent and inviting educational programs, events, retail and dining experiences.
Ancora is the developer of Electric Works in Fort Wayne. According to Bauer, that development has a lot of opportunities for other local businesses to plug into. Bauer says it is the same kind of mentality that Ancora and Notre Dame are bringing into the Colfax Corner project.
“In that development [Electric Works] there’s a food hall. I think almost all of the vendors there are local, small businesses and lots of community-facing pieces to that project,” Bauer said.
The Economic Development Commission approved the project and the bond and sent bill 05-26 to the Common Council for a third reading and vote at its 7 p.m. Monday. Feb. 9 meeting. The public will have another opportunity to comment during the meeting.
The council meets on the third floor of City Hall, 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Email Tribune staff writer Juliane Balog at jbalog@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame’s Colfax Corner to upgrade old Tribune building, add jobs
Reporting by Juliane Balog , South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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