We sought a long-term home that the church could own so that we could pursue a rent-free, debt-free future. We wanted to stay rooted in the heart of our city. And we wanted to participate in South Bend’s revitalization through the redemption of a vacant building that was ready for new life.

South Bend didn’t need another church downtown, but South Bend City Church needed to be downtown. The only way to be a place of grace and peace for our city is to be in our city and the best way to be good neighbors is to be in the neighborhood. We want to be a part of revitalizing downtown South Bend, providing more space for events and more real-estate for partners like The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor.

We get this question a lot. The South Bend Tribune operated two buildings downtown on the same block: the original that was built roughly 100 years ago, and the printing press facility that was built in the 1990s. (The two buildings are connected by an over-the-alley bridge.) After we had purchased the printing press facility, we were approached by University leadership to let us know that Notre Dame would be making significant investments downtown, and that the original Tribune building would be part of their project.

So no, Notre Dame isn’t our landlord; they’re our neighbor. We’re thrilled to welcome the University to the neighborhood, and thankful for their collaborative posture as we all work together for the good of our city. (One beautiful example of that collaboration: in 2024, we were awarded a $1.2 million grant from Lilly Endowment through its initiative, College and Community Collaboration as a sub-grantee in partnership with the University that allowed us to finish the remaining first floor spaces in our building.)

We love to share our space with the community for events like weddings, meetings, or fundraisers for nonprofits when the space is available. 

If you are interested in using the Tribune for your event or ceremony, please head to this part of our website for more information and the rental request form. For any further questions, please email info@southbendcitychurch.com

In the spring of 2025 we completed Phase 1 of the project, which included the courtyard, the entire first floor, and general demolition/preparation for future phases. We have dreams of fully renovating the second floor (including the cathedral-like gathering space), the third floor, and creating a rooftop space. These renovations would cost approximately $4.5 million in materials and labor.

We don’t have a set timeline for the completion of the building. The portion we’ve already completed provides ample facilities for our Sunday gatherings, kids and students ministries, and partner operations like the Boys and Girls Clubs. One of our mantras is fields, not factories, which reminds us that our job isn’t to force a timeline, but to cooperate with the seasons of our church’s life and the work God is doing in our midst. We also imagine several different funding pathways to potentially complete the building, and a significant financial gift or grant opportunity may shape our timeline.

There is plenty of on-street parking around the Tribune as well as a parking garage with more than 500 free parking spaces available located at the corner of Main and Colfax. We also are currently able to use the lot across the street which belongs to our neighbors at Notre Dame.

We got this question a lot when we first moved in, so we created something to help people think differently about parking in downtown South Bend.