Editor's note: This article was edited May 3 to correct the omission of Memorial Hospital as a funding partner of the NNRO.
Continuing the recent trend of land development near Notre Dame, the Northeast Neighborhood Revitalization Organization (NNRO) has begun work on its Triangle housing development near Eddy Street Commons.
Located in the area north of State Road 23, south of Notre Dame's woods and Napoleon Blvd., and east of Eddy Street, the Triangle is a mixed-income, single-family home development that comprises part of a plan created for the Northeast Neighborhood in 1998, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs Tim Sexton said.
"The plan emphasized the want of residents for more single-family homes. There was a large exodus from the neighborhood in the 1970s and 1980s, and many homes were neglected or turned into rentals," he said. "There's a push for single-family homeownership, a safe community and beautifying the neighborhood."
The Triangle features 53 single-family home development lots available for purchase by the public, provided the buyers plan to occupy the home as their primary residence, said Phil Byrd, South Bend Heritage Foundation director of real estate. Currently, 45 lots have been claimed.
Byrd said 30 percent of the Triangle's lots are set aside for low to moderate-income buyers who earn less than 80 percent of the county median income, adjusted for family size.
The remaining lots are available to buyers of any income level, which will contribute to the diverse character of the Northeast Neighborhood, Sexton said.
"The intent is to replicate and continue the wonderful diversity of the Northeast Neighborhood," Sexton said. "That intent has been received extremely well."
Construction has begun on one home in the Triangle, and there could be 10 homes under construction by August, Sexton said. The development has a projected completion date in 2014.
The infrastructure of the Triangle development will be completed by mid-August, including streets, curbs, sidewalks, sewers, water and electric systems, Byrd said.
"State Road 23 will be expanded from Twyckenham Drive to Campeau Street, so all the houses on the south side of the street will be demolished to make room for the expanded new road," he said. "The Triangle will fit in nicely with this area."
Byrd said the project has involved close collaboration between the residents of the Northeast Neighborhood and the five funding partners of the NNRO: Notre Dame, the City of South Bend, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Memorial Hospital and the South Bend Clinic.
"For everything we've done in the neighborhood, we've had countless meetings to maintain a good relationship with the neighbors and residents," Byrd said. "Our relationships with all the partners are excellent ... we get tons of help from them both financially and in guidance."
Sexton said this partnership between the NNRO and the neighborhood's residents facilitates constructive collaboration on projects like the Triangle development.
"Each funding partner has at least one member on the NNRO board, and seven long-term residents are on the board as well. They have equal say with the funding partners about all decisions," he said. "It's a unique model that could be replicated in other communities. The corporate partnership-neighborhood aspect has been a huge win."
Notre Dame has been a funding partner of the NNRO since its inception in 2000, and the University is working with the South Bend Heritage Foundation to develop the Triangle, Sexton said.
"Notre Dame helps fund the NNRO, which enables us to help divide the land and develop the project," he said.
Similar to the partnership between Notre Dame and Eddy Street Commons, Sexton said the Triangle development will strengthen Notre Dame's relationship with South Bend.
"I had a meeting with Mayor Pete Buttigieg this morning, and from his perspective, we have a great opportunity to have a campus-downtown connection ... through the Triangle, Eddy Street Commons, the new Saint Joseph's High School on Notre Dame Avenue and a new development in the East Bank Village area," Sexton said. "It's a great win for the city of South Bend, and since they're a funding partner of the NNRO, they're thrilled about the Triangle project."
Sexton said continuing to develop land near Notre Dame's campus will be beneficial to both students and community residents.
"I perceive Eddy Street [Commons] as a benefit for students because restaurants and businesses have relocated there," he said. "The more people we can build homes for in the neighborhood, the more chance we have for businesses to relocate and benefit students."
