South Bend

Council Oak, a quiet community northwest of Downtown South Bend, is steeped in history. It's where a centuries-old tree once stood — the site of René-Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle's treaty with the Miami and Illinois to resist the aggressions of the Iroquois. This treaty was a significant turning point in early colonial American history, setting the tone for Indigenous and colonist alliances. While today all that remains is the tree stump and a historical marker, the community has taken on the enduring spirit of the Council Oak that came before. "It's a very established area, and it hasn't changed a lot over the years, which is a kind of a comfort," Bonnie Hay, longtime local and Associate at RE/MAX 100, says. "Some people have lived there probably 20 to 30 years," and most don't plan to leave anytime soon. Residents are sufficiently provided for with a retail center and the Indiana Toll Road to the north and downtown to the south. The neighborhood is a mixed bag of industry, green space and housing. Apartment complexes fill the northwest, while single-family housing is concentrated in the central west. Between homes sits the Corpus Christi Catholic Community, School and Parish. "Many people love that they can walk to church from the neighborhood," Jennifer Lillie, South Bend local and Realtor with Century 21 Circle, says. Hay agrees, saying, "Whether you're a part of the church or not, they're a part of your community. It's kind of a gathering place and a point of interest for all the residents." Brick ranches are the most common offering in Council Oak, with boxy, vinyl-sided two-stories appearing every couple of doors. Homes generally sit far back on lots, creating ample space for a statement maple or front garden. Listings typically cost between $190,000 and $250,000, with around $215,000 being the median. The neighborhood is pretty contained, with Lillie saying, "People don't really cut through that area. You really are only in there if you live there or are visiting someone." Industrial sites surround Council Oak. One of the most notable is the South Bend Wastewater Treatment Plant on the neighborhood's east side. The plant is removed enough from homes that residents don't usually complain about a smell. There are also a few shops and restaurants nearby. Locals can stop at Coffee Spot Cafe off North Bendrix Drive while getting a car wash or oil change next door. Along Portage Avenue are stores like Dollar General and Council Oak Laundry & Cleaner, as well as restaurants. Samuel Mancino's Italian Eatery is popular for its carry-out pizzas and subs, while Pedro's Family Restaurant sells classic Mexican-style favorites at discounted prices, with deals running multiple days a week. Heading north past the toll road offers fast-food chains and brand names, like Meijer, Aldi, Walgreens, Goodwill and Walmart. Driving 3 miles south on Portage leads to Downtown South Bend with all its dining and entertainment options. Boland Park splits the area's apartment complexes from its single-family housing, creating a shared recreational space. Basketball courts, tennis courts, a soccer field and baseball fields are all available, as well as a sizable playground. During spring, Chet Waggoner Little League holds baseball and softball games at the ball fields outside the South Bend Wastewater Treatment Plant. Pinhook Park sits below the plant, featuring a U-shaped lake. "We take the kids and the dog there all the time to kayak and paddleboard," Lillie says. "The lake isn't connected to the river, meaning there's no current, so you don't have to worry about kids getting swept away or having to paddle back very far." Boaters can hit the water, too, via the dock jutting out from the parking lot. The park is also home to the Angel of Hope Memorial Garden, where bricks are laid to remember lost loved ones. Memorials hold a special place in Council Oak, as Highland Cemetery is a prominent neighborhood feature. A final resting place for many, it also contains significant landmarks, such as the grave of Clement Studebaker, the Knute Rockne Grave and the Council Oak historical marker. "It's a very beautiful and well-maintained cemetery. It's also such an established and accepted honoring area that it's not a deterrent to homebuyers." School zoning depends on where students live, although all school pathways are under the South Bench Community School Corporation. Most students live west of Portage Avenue, meaning they attend Coquillard Elementary School and Navarre Middle School. Both schools earn a C-minus Niche score and are South Bench Empowerment Zones — schools dedicated to eliminating academic and social-emotional opportunity gaps. Students graduate from the B-minus-rated Washington High School, an AdvancEd accredited school with a medical magnet program. A small number of students live east of Portage Avenue, zoning them for Muessel Elementary School, which has a C-minus Niche rating. Next is Jefferson Traditional School and its magnet program, which earns a C score. The A-minus-rated Adams High School is No. 3 on Niche's list of best public schools in South Bend. Council Oak is also within 4 miles of the B-minus-rated Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame, which earns an A-plus. Although bike paths and bus stops can be found along Portage Avenue and North Bendix Drive, residents rely on driving to get around. The Indiana Toll Road, or Interstate 90, creates the area's northern border. Lillie says, "The E-ZPass system connects to multiple states, and all the entrances have very nice commuter parking areas." The apartments and undeveloped land in the neighborhood's northern third cushion homes from most highway noise. South Bend International Airport is 3 miles southwest, with the runway on a diagonal from the neighborhood's southwestern corner. Lillie says the airport isn't "like a Chicago or Indianapolis airport with thousands of flights all day long," so residents generally aren't bothered by the sound of engines firing up or wheels hitting the ground.

Situated between the St. Joseph River and the University of Notre Dame's iconic golden dome, the Harter Heights neighborhood has long been home to professors and college faculty. Its prime location and one-of-a-kind historic houses give Harter Heights a sense of distinction and increase home prices. "It's a prestigious neighborhood," says Nick Benninghoff, a Realtor with Cressy & Everett who has experience selling in the area. "Harter Heights has become almost like ocean-front housing, except it's right in front of Notre Dame instead of the ocean." However, the chatter of kids playing outside and friendly posts on an active Facebook group keep the community from feeling stuffy. Beyond being a major employer, Notre Dame offers cultural events, sports and and intellectual activity. The most obvious attractions include the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, which hosts weekly mass under its ornate, gilded roof. And the college football games bring in thousands of visitors to tailgate and cheer on the Fighting Irish. But there are also public skating events at the Compton Family Ice Area and visual arts from around the globe at The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. The nearby DeBartolo Performing Arts Center welcomes over 100,000 patrons yearly for world-class entertainment. "I think because we are close to Chicago, we get a lot of top performing arts events coming our way," says Barb Hartman, a broker assistant with Cressy & Everett who grew up around South Bend. "I also love going to Notre Dame for a peaceful walk around the two lakes." Harter Heights homes come in a variety of styles and were mostly built between 1900 and 1950. Stone-sided Tudors sit next to stately American Foursquares and midcentury ranch styles. Well-manicured gardens and concrete steps lead to arched front doors, and many homes have back-alley access to detached garages. Prices start around $250,000 for fixer-uppers and rise to $800,000 for move-in ready properties with over 2,000 square feet. Due to proximity to the university and the character of the homes, it's one of the most expensive areas in the city, with an average home price nearly double the city's average. There are few students here, but some homes are rented out to tourists visiting Notre Dame and its football games. Directly to the north of the neighborhood, the Notre Dame Burke Golf Course is open to the public. The 9-hole course was reconfigured and refreshed in summer 2024. Another way to get outside is the East Bank Trail, a paved pathway that runs through the neighborhood along the St Joseph River. The trail connects to Niles Avenue Dog Park, which has off-leash green spaces for small and large dogs. Although the neighborhood sits beside the river, which has a history of flooding, it is far enough away to avoid being in a flood zone, according to FEMA. As part of South Bend Community School Corporation, neighborhood kids are zoned to start at Nuner Elementary School and Fine Arts Academy, which receives a C from Niche. Nuner students can participate in three theater performances throughout the school year and must attend weekly dance, music and visual arts classes. The elementary school also partners with the University of Notre Dame to provide a culture and foreign language program. Older kids are zoned for Jefferson Middle School, rated C, and Adams High School, rated A-minus. Adams offers the district's only International Baccalaureate Program. The neighborhood is also a mile from Saint Joseph Grade School and Saint Joseph High School, two private, faith-based options. Eddy Street Commons sits just south of Notre Dame and has a collection of well-loved chain restaurants often frequented by college students. O'Rourke's Public House is a locally-owned mainstay for classic pub fare and gets especially lively on game days. A few blocks south, Rocco's is another South Bend staple known for its pizza. For groceries, a Trader Joe's just off Howard Street is less than a mile from most homes. But more shopping and dining requires a 1.5-mile trip into downtown. Some fine dining options downtown include the global flavors at Café Navarre and the upscale brunch at Tippecanoe Place Restaurant, located in a renovated 19th-century manor. In addition to Notre Dame, Memorial Hospital is a significant employer in the area. The western edge of Harter Heights borders North Michigan Street. This major thoroughfare reaches Memorial – as well as Beacon Children's Hospital – in less than a mile, usually a five-minute drive. North Michigan also leads south to downtown in 1.5 miles and north to Interstate 80 in 2.5 miles. For longer trips, the South Bend International Airport is 5 miles away. "We do have our own airport, but you often have to connect through O'Hare in Chicago," Hartman says. "That is one negative to living in South Bend."

On the northwest side of South Bend, Keller Park's vintage homes are cradled by a curve of the St. Joseph River. Proximity to riverside trails makes for scenic dog walking or running, though the neighborhood has faced flooding issues in the past. Many of the homes are rented out, but there's still a sense of neighborly support from local organizations. Some groups are working to bring in new homes to fill the gaps left by former Mayor Pete Buttigieg's initiative ‘1,000 houses in 1,000 days,' where abandoned homes were demolished to create space for investors. "Keller Park was one of the areas affected by that initiative," says Nick Benninghoff, a Realtor with Cressy & Everett, who has experience in the area. "And I think 10 years later, we are really starting to see that plan come to fruition." Several apartment buildings along the river bring in a high renter population, and the neighborhood's homes are often rented out, too. With an average size of 1,270 square feet and a median lot size of less than 1/8 acre, houses and yards are smaller than elsewhere in the city. Architectural styles include Cape Cods, ranch styles and bungalows, often built in the 1920s to '50s. The neighborhood is relatively affordable for South Bend in terms of home prices, though the cost per square foot is about on par with the city average. Prices start around $50,000 for fixer-uppers and reach $200,000 for newly renovated homes. Streets are lined with sidewalks, and most residents park on the street. Though several lots still sit empty after homes were demolished, developers are starting to take action. "There's a local non-profit working to make houses out of repurposed shipping containers," Benninghoff says. "They are focused on providing affordable housing for the neighborhood." Keller Park locals enjoy the Riverside Trail alongside the St Joseph River, which includes a boat launch for kayaks and paddleboats. The bike-friendly trail winds along the banks, connecting with several city parks, including Woodlawn, Pinhook and Wheelock. The namesake Keller Park, closer to home, has a playground, sports courts and a restroom open during the day. Another neighborhood gathering space is Keller Park Church at the corner of the green space. The church offers childcare and faith-based education for infants through fifth grade, while also providing food and coats to families in need. South Bend experienced two significant floods in 2016 and 2018, and though the river's water level never reached the neighborhood, some homes in low-lying areas had water pooling in the basements. Basements may still have lasting water damage, like mold issues and doors not fitting correctly in doorjambs. Since 2018, the city has tried to mitigate flooding, but there is still some risk in Keller Park. Today, the riverbank is in a FEMA Flood Zone AE, which means a 1% annual chance of flooding. A few of the homes along the banks are in Zone X, which means a 0.2% annual chance. In addition, rainfall hasn't yet reached the same level as in 2018, so mitigation efforts have yet to be tested. As part of South Bend Community School Corporation, neighborhood kids are zoned to start at Muessel Elementary School, which gets a C-minus grade from Niche. During the summer, the school gives free lunches to kids under 18. Then it's on to Jefferson Middle School, rated C, and Adams High School, rated A-minus. Adams High School is the highest-ranked public high school in the district and offers the International Baccalaureate Program. The school district also runs the Brown Community Learning Center within the neighborhood. The center is home to the Family and Community Engagement Program, which offers summer camps, family literacy nights, mentorship programs and college scholarship opportunities. Not affiliated with the public school system, Transformation Ministries is another source of support for youth, with faith-based mentor programs and after-school activities. A few notable businesses along Portage are within walking distance and attract a loyal crowd. Bob's Pub is a no-frills bar that honors South Bend's Polish heritage with an annual Dyngus Day party and hosts regular pool leagues. For late-night cravings, Fat Boys Creamery stays open until 2 a.m., offering both savory tacos and sweet ice cream treats. The Portage-Elwood intersection is the closest shopping center to Keller Park, located at the neighborhood's southwest corner. With the closure of several businesses in recent years, the shopping center currently has little to offer. In 2024, the city hopes to change that by demolishing empty buildings and polling the surrounding residents on what they want to see added. For now, the closest grocery stores are Aldi and Meijer, about 2.5 miles north, and Trader Joe's, the same distance to the southeast. Bus lines run down Portage every hour, connecting into downtown South Bend, 2 miles away. The Riverside Trail can be helpful for bikers heading north, but it does not connect to downtown. The University of Notre Dame is only 2.5 miles east and is known for football games, theater performances and the iconic golden dome atop the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. In the other direction, the South Bend International Airport is 4 miles away, and the surrounding manufacturing and industrial companies are large employers. The Memorial Hospital is 2 miles south, another major employer. Within the neighborhood, Steel Warehouse is one of the largest Hot Roll steel processing facilities in the U.S.