Northeast Neighborhood, South Bend: Living Near Eddy Street and Notre Dame
Few South Bend neighborhoods have changed as much in the last 20 years as the Northeast Neighborhood, the area just south of the University of Notre Dame around Eddy Street. Here's what buyers and sellers should know about living there today.
Where the Northeast Neighborhood is
The Northeast Neighborhood sits directly south of the Notre Dame campus, northeast of downtown South Bend and east of the St. Joseph River. Eddy Street Commons, with its restaurants, shops, hotels, offices and apartments, is at its heart.
How the neighborhood changed
By the early 2000s, much of the area had declining housing and many investor-owned rentals. Notre Dame, the City of South Bend, local hospitals and neighbors formed the Northeast Neighborhood Revitalization Organization to turn that around. Key steps included:
The Notre Dame Avenue Housing Program, which from 2002 built or rehabilitated dozens of owner-occupied homes south of campus, each with a front porch and with garages kept off the main street.
Eddy Street Commons, a mixed-use district built in phases next to campus.
New single-family and mixed-income developments, including the Triangle and Crescent-Hill projects.
The results show in the numbers. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, the area south of campus added more than 600 residents, about a quarter of South Bend's growth in that decade, along with hundreds of new housing units.
The homes
Housing here is a mix: older homes, newer homes built through the revitalization programs, townhomes and condos, and apartments near Eddy Street. That range means prices vary a lot from one block to the next. Ask me for recent sales on the streets you're watching.
Everyday life
Walkability: Restaurants, coffee, shops, campus events and Notre Dame athletics are all close.
Arts and culture: The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art are a short walk away.
Game days: Expect crowds and traffic on fall football weekends.
What to check before you buy
Owner-occupancy rules: Some homes built through neighborhood programs came with requirements, such as owner occupancy. Ask about any deed restrictions or covenants.
Rentals nearby: Student and short-term rentals are part of the mix. Look at the block, not just the house.
HOA or condo fees: Townhomes and condos near Eddy Street may carry association fees. Factor them into your monthly budget.
Buying or selling in the Northeast Neighborhood?
I'm Jennifer Lillie, a REALTOR® with Cressy & Everett Real Estate. I'll help you understand which blocks hold value, what any program restrictions mean for you, and how to price a home in a neighborhood with this much variety. Contact me or call 574-286-9667.