Tag: South Bend Contractor

Partnering in the Downtown Revitalization of South Bend

An Excerpt from our Q2 Newsletter


Larry Weigand

Larry Weigand – CEO

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Weigand’s e-newsletter! This is a fantastic opportunity to connect and communicate quarterly news. I am thrilled to highlight in this issue our people and partnerships within the South Bend region, where Weigand recently expanded our geographic footprint with the opening of a downtown office.

Why South Bend, you might ask? At Weigand, we believe that building partnerships is as important as building projects. In fact, we would say it is foundational to our success as a company. Strong partnerships played a significant role in our decision to expand into the north central Indiana region, where we have been involved in an increasing number of projects in recent years. Opening an office in South Bend allows us to improve upon our existing presence while continuing to provide exceptional service to the Michiana community. The Barnes & Thornburg Building – this issue’s spotlight project – is a case in point of people and partnerships working together to create momentum in a city on the rise.

Similar to other cities across America, South Bend is experiencing a notable urban revitalization. The Barnes & Thornburg Building is the first new office building to be constructed in over 20 years. It is an exciting time, with a strong supply of local projects providing ample opportunity for a variety of relationships to evolve. The city itself is investing nearly $50 million to improve parks, trails and the South Bend riverfront, and neighboring cities in the region are following suit. Young professionals, empty nesters, and even families are looking for downtown housing options that provide them an “authentic” experience, involving the combination of work, life and play. South Bend is striving hard to meet those needs.

The ability to provide our Michiana employees with a permanent home downtown where they can serve lifetime clients as lifetime residents and neighbors only serves to fuel this spirit of collaboration and community. Check out the employee spotlight section to meet our homegrown South Bend team and see our new office!

We continue to move forward with fierce resolve to meet the needs of our clients, our industry partners, and our Weigand team, and we are doing it the Weigand Way – by building landmarks that impact the lives and communities we serve!

Project Spotlight: The Barnes & Thornburg Building

201 S Main

As the first new Class A office building in over 20 years, the construction of The Barnes & Thornburg Building in downtown South Bend is generating a lot of excitement.  The official groundbreaking for this five-story modern glass and steel structure took place on April 9, with Mayor Pete Buttigieg remarking, “This is exactly what we hoped, what we dared to hope, South Bend’s comeback would look like…”  Lou Hansell, managing partner of Bald Mountain LLC, concurred, “It is gratifying to see Barnes & Thornburg’s long-term dedication to a project that will accelerate South Bend’s position as a professional destination.”

201 S Main 2

Located at the southwest corner of Main Street and Jefferson Boulevard across from the federal courthouse, the 64,000 square foot building is in the heart of downtown South Bend’s business core and within walking distance of Weigand’s offices.  Law firm Barnes & Thornburg will lease floors two, three and four of the building, with River Park Leasing Corp occupying the top floor and plans for a drive-thru coffee retailer and restaurant planned for the street level.  Fourth and fifth floor terraces will provide fresh air, city views, and green space to tenants.  The basement level of the building can accommodate 21 cars and boasts a vehicle elevator, a unique feature that helps conserve precious square footage. This city corner is experiencing a major face lift – there is new life where previously a parking lot quietly occupied the space.  Continued growth in the heart of the city is exciting to see, and Weigand Construction South Bend is thrilled to once again be selected to lead this landmark project, a critical component in the city’s ongoing economic surge.

Lippert Components – Groundbreaking

Construction of the new beam processing plant for Lippert Components is underway! Last month we broke ground on the 107,000 square foot automation plant in Elkhart, Indiana where they will streamline the process of building chassis for the RV world.
 

Preparing Students for Success with Junior Achievement

One of the causes that we take great pride in supporting is Junior Achievement. Mike Miller, our Business Development Associate for the Michiana area, serves on the board for St. Joseph County and was invited to give his input on how Junior Achievement prepares students for success. Have a look and see what it’s all about!