2025 Year in Review, Part 2

I’m continuing my review of development in our community over the past 12 months and looking ahead to what might come in 2026. In part 1, I examined industrial, commercial, retail, and education/higher education development. In part 2, I take a closer look at healthcare and residential development.

In healthcare, Beacon Health System continues construction on its new 10-story, $257M project at Memorial Hospital. The hospital is eyeing completion in Q4 of 2026. The project will add approximately 250 acute-care beds and 300 new jobs. Beacon also advanced major projects at its Granger/Capital Avenue campus ($5M) and is constructing a new $22M medical office building in downtown Mishawaka.  

Housing remains a priority for all communities, and 2025 saw significant activity in multi-family residential development. In South Bend, Holladay Properties continued construction on their $32M 5 Corners Project just south of the Notre Dame campus. The $15M residential project in the Liberty Tower in downtown South Bend is nearing completion and will be ready for occupancy in early 2026.

Diamond View took shape just east of Four Winds Field. People will begin living there in 2026. One of the former Crowe buildings in downtown South Bend is currently being demolished to make way for the $61M JC Hart project along the river.

Plans were unveiled and funding secured for the Western Avenue Transformation district, which generally is the redevelopment of that area between Four Winds Field and the Kroc Center. Planned is a $43M housing development that will include 208 mixed-income rental units. Also, funding is secure, and development should begin in 2026 on the Monreaux, a 57-unit, $17M housing project just west of the Post Office in Downtown South Bend.

Also, plans have been developed and infrastructure funding secured for the redevelopment of the former Drewery’s Brewery site and the Elwood Shopping Plaza. Watch for the plaza to be demolished in 2026, with infrastructure construction to begin on this mixed-income residential neighborhood, which will include at least 110 housing units.  Watch for future residential opportunities at the former Singer Building (on the former Madison Center Campus) and the former YMCA site on Northside Boulevard.

Plans are coming together for the Madison Lifestyle District, a $334M development just south of Memorial Hospital. It will include 240 housing units, a hotel, commercial space, and parking. Watch for the parking garages to come first, beginning in 2026.  Nearby, South Bend has advanced plans for another 100-133 units and a parking garage behind the Morris Performing Arts Center.

The Momentum Entrepreneurial HUB completed construction downtown South Bend. This includes an entrepreneurship hub with offices, co-working spaces, a commercial kitchen, and retail space, along with the renovation of the apartment building to the south. 

In Mishawaka, the Springs at Mishawaka opened, and construction continued on the final units of this $43M, 280-unit development on Mishawaka’s north side. After a minor setback, the $60M Mill Phase II project in Mishawaka is proceeding and should be ready for occupancy in early 2026.

Watch for future projects in Mishawaka including the Stoneleaf Reserve ($48 M, 234 units) on Douglas Road, high density residential development at Fir/IN Toll Road, Grandview Phase III ($175M, 246 units, hotel, 66 townhomes, retail and dining), and the 100 Center Redevelopment ($42M project, 104 units + commercial space).

2026 is shaping up to be another busy year. Each of our communities has done the necessary planning, built the infrastructure, and worked with the development community to advance key priorities. I’m excited about what’s ahead over the next few years!