Notre Dame teams up with D.C. firm for Tech and Talent District
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The University of Notre Dame has tapped Washington D.C.-based investment management firm Ancora to pursue the development of the first phase of its planned Tech and Talent District in downtown South Bend.
The first phase will focus on the reimagining of the vacant former South Bend Tribune building.
Plans for the Tech and Talent District started to move forward last August after the university received a $30 million grant from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc.’s College and Community Collaboration initiative.
The goal of the district, Notre Dame says, is to “draw world-class research and talent to downtown South Bend, allowing for collaboration with industry to advance applied research in areas such as data analytics, artificial intelligence and advanced computing.”
Ancora, which also has an office in Indianapolis, says it works to meet the evolving real estate, infrastructure and innovation needs of colleges and universities. CEO Josh Parker said in a news release that the Notre Dame project aligns well with his firm’s approach.
“We’re honored to support Notre Dame’s vision of bringing students, innovators, neighbors and businesses together in the heart of South Bend — and to serve as a catalyst for this next chapter, creating a place where opportunity is within reach, talent can flourish and the benefits of growth are shared across the city and region,” Parker said.
Notre Dame acquired the former Tribune building in late 2023. The Tech and Talent District, to be located at the northeast corner of Colfax Avenue and Lafayette Boulevard, is considered a keystone of the city’s Downtown South Bend 2045 plan.
The university and Ancora plan to focus on adaptive reuse of the Tribune building, though specific details on how that will be accomplished were not provided. A university spokesperson declined to provide more information to Inside INdiana Business.
South Bend’s Director of Planning and Community Resources, Tim Corcoran, told IIB in March that the project could be a catalyst for downtown development.
“We’re hoping that this large investment from the university can have a ripple effect beyond just their project,” Corcoran said. “We’re already seeing developers and property owners coming to us, thinking about how they can adaptively reuse some of the buildings that are already on the ground. One of the best things about a planning process like this is getting people excited and reinvigorated about downtown.”
The first phase of the Tech and Talent District will also include a new research and office building.
The university did not say how much is being invested in the project overall. Pending additional design and planning efforts, work on the project is expected to begin sometime this year, though a time frame for completion is not known.