Regional Cities Initiative SMART. CONNECTED. COMMUNITIES. Recognizing that population stagnation was one of the region’s biggest threats to advancing our economy, in 2015 the South Bend - Elkhart Regional Partnership brought together thousands of stakeholders to develop a strategic plan focused on talent attraction and retention. In pursuit of a financial partnership with the state of Indiana, we experienced unprecedented collaboration between business, academic, public, and private leaders, resulting in the formation of a Regional Development Authority and development of the Innovate Indiana plan.
A vision emerged to build on the region as a knowledgedriven, highly connected group of communities that serves and provides access to a global innovation economy and become recognized for our world-class higher education and community
partnerships, superior access and connectivity, and high performing communities. With a focus on density, connectivity and amenities, the $42 million Regional Cities grant has been invested as seed funding into a set of 28 projects that are enhancing arts and culture, trails and parks, mixed use housing, and more.
At the end of 2020, twenty-one of the projects have been completed, six are under construction and one is in the planning phase. Marquee projects include construction of the Potawatomi Zoo entrance, aquatics centers in Elkhart and Plymouth, manufacturing centers in Plymouth and Argos; and mixed-use housing projects in urban centers across Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph counties. The grant also supported improvements to Howard Park and Ironworks Plaza; renovation of the Studebaker building façade, Hotel Elkhart, Goshen Theater, and REES Theater. The direct investment,
including state grant funds, private investment, and local public sector matching funds, is over $350 million. The indirect return on investment is beyond calculation. The projects have provided innovative options for current and future residents to live, learn, work, and play. They have increased community pride, eliminated blight, connected our communities, and drawn national attention to the region. Beyond the brick-and-mortar projects that will transform our communities for decades, the grant served as a catalyst by making us think more broadly by encouraging our community leaders to come together in an unprecedented way and making us think about sustaining our initiatives that will allow us to both attract and retain the brightest from our schools, our state, and our nation.
