South Bend initiatives and people earn high honors

South Bend is distinguishing itself on the national stage.

How?

Just this year alone, it earned national recognition for neighborhood revitalization, great home values and bike-friendly programs. And, one of its officials won a prestigious honor from a national publication. So, it comes as no surprise that communities and organizations around the state are taking notice of the great changes taking place in South Bend.

At last week’s National League of Cities Congress of Cities in Denver, outgoing NLC President Ronald O. Loveridge (far left), presented the Gold Award for Municipal Excellence to (from left) South Bend Mayor Stephen J. Luecke, City Council member Ann Puzzello and Marguerite Taylor, Northeast Neighborhood resident and director of adult learning for the Robinson Community Learning Center.

“In what are very tough fiscal times for Indiana’s cities, South Bend continues to raise the bar,” says Matt Greller, executive director of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. “Mayor Luecke consistently finds creative new approaches to timeless challenges and does so with great optimism and focus. His steadfast approach has allowed the city to continue providing basic public services, as well as introducing new quality-of-life-enhancing initiatives. I am glad to see the City and Mayor Luecke getting so much recognition for their hard work.”

Following is a closer look at these honors, and how they speak volumes about why South Bend is increasing its visibility nationwide.

A gold award for neighborhood revitalization

The revitalization of the Northeast Neighborhood involved infill housing.

Earlier this month at its annual conference in Denver, the National League of Cities (NLC) presented South Bend with a Gold Award for Municipal Excellence, in recognition of the highly successful Northeast Neighborhood Revitalization Organization initiative. (Click here for details, or see related story, “Neighborhood revitalization transforms streetscape, relationships.”)

“When a city works with excellent partners, the results speak for themselves,” says South Bend Mayor Stephen J. Luecke. “We are pleased to be recognized among cities around the world for our pursuit of strategies to enhance the quality of the living and working environment in South Bend. Each day, we see the exciting changes coming to South Bend.”

Marguerite Taylor, an officer of the Northeast Neighborhood Council, noted that the award reflects positively on the neighborhood she represents, and on the city as a whole.

“I think South Bend has a lot to offer its residents,” says Taylor. “What the award means is that we’re doing it right, and we’re getting recognition for doing it right. Our neighborhood is truly changing.”

The real significance of the award for revitalization extends beyond bricks and mortar.

“I think what is important is the transformation that took place in the relationships among the diverse groups, and it’s why the City won the award from the NLC,” says Jeff Gibney, director of the Department of Community & Economic Development for the City of South Bend. Gibney served as executive director of the South Bend Heritage Foundation when its assistance was initially sought.

Indeed, it was not the first time South Bend was so honored for transformational work involving diverse entities. In 2002, the City won the Gold Award for Municipal Excellence (then known as the James C. Howland Award) for similar revitalization efforts on the city’s near-West Side in partnership with the South Bend Heritage Foundation.

“A project like this that takes place on such an enormous scale can make the whole city and county look at it. It has a huge ‘wow’ factor,” Gibney says. “It gets them thinking about what else they might accomplish. It has already spurred other development downtown and in other areas of the city.”

One of America’s most bike-friendly cities

Mayor Stephen J. Luecke, surrounded by bicycling advocates and South Bend Bike Coordinator Chris Dressel, announces that South Bend has been designated a Bicycle Friendly Community.

In September, South Bend became the first community in Northern Indiana to be designated a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The city earned this important measure of superior quality of life in recognition of its “remarkable commitment” to providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation.

“South Bend being designated a bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists is a huge coup for the community, and the City of South Bend should be commended for their efforts,” says Rob DeCleene, executive director of the South Bend/Mishawaka Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Bicycling has a very passionate following and represents so many positive aspects of a community — fitness, environmental awareness, family-friendliness, etc. The entire sport just has an unspoken edge to it that is an essential attribute to positioning a destination to a savvy demographic, and will help in any progress we can make in establishing South Bend as a hip collegiate city.”

Innovative leadership

Gary Gilot, director of the City of South Bend's Public Works

In August, Public Works Director Gary Gilot made his mark nationwide when he was named Public Works Leader of the Year by American City & County magazine.

He was recognized for his outstanding performance with groundbreaking major projects that are reshaping the public works landscape in South Bend and being held up as national models. These projects included CSOnet, a high-tech solution to combined sewage overflows, as well as the city’s collaborative venture with the University of Notre Dame to use computer servers to heat a greenhouse at Potawatomi Park.

“With people like Gilot to encourage his staff to use innovative ways to solve age-old problems, South Bend can be optimistic about its future,” the magazine stated.

Mike Harmless, a director in the Public Sector Services Group at Crowe Horwath in Indianapolis, lauded the recognition received by Gilot.

“Not only does this reflect on Gary’s own creativity and innovation, but it also speaks volumes about the creative, innovative environment that Mayor Steve Luecke has cultivated in his leadership team,” says Harmless, who also happens to be a former mayor of Greencastle, Ind., a university town like South Bend. “Communities that are innovative, and are recognized with these significant awards, will be very competitive in the ‘new economy.’”

‘Today’ show recognition

The NBC “Today” show named South Bend as the No. 1 city for real estate values.

In January this year, the NBC “Today” show ranked South Bend No. 1 in the nation for its outstanding real estate offerings. Specifically, real estate contributor Barbara Corcoran listed South Bend first among 10 U.S. cities offering the best real estate values, based on the following criteria: home size and value; job growth in the area; and rising real estate prices over the past year.

“The ‘Today’ show ranking really tells the story to the rest of the country that we already knew — that there is great value in residing here, relative to other parts of the U.S.,” says Jeff Rea, president and CEO of The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County.

“This kind of recognition certainly helps us in promoting our community to the rest of the world.”

Other recent honors and kudos

South Bend bike path

Prior to 2010, South Bend has received other honors, too.

In 2009, the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns bestowed a prestigious “green” honor upon South Bend: the Indiana Green Community of the Year among large metropolitan areas.

“South Bend is reaching a tipping point — we’ve seen it happen in other communities,” says Mike Keen, director of the Center for a Sustainable Future at Indiana University South Bend. “It’s recognizing the importance of sustainability and the emerging green economy in enhancing the city’s quality of life and revitalizing its economy.”

Also last year, South Bend was ranked by Forbes magazine as having the 6th lowest cost of living among U.S. metropolitan areas, and U.S. News & World Report magazine listed South Bend among the top 10 most affordable places to retire.

Make no mistake, these awards were not isolated cases of South Bend being nationally recognized for a job well done.

They’re part of a continuing story of success, which no doubt will extend into South Bend’s future.