The South Bend Redevelopment Commission Thursday extended a developer’s deadline to renovate the top floors of downtown’s tallest building. The developer blames the delays on President Trump’s tariffs.
The 25-story Liberty Tower’s owner, New York-based Washington Square Development LLC,” in April 2023 reached an agreement with the commission to develop its top floors into 90 apartments. They would also rehabilitate the building’s parking garage, create meeting and event spaces, and open a seventh-floor commercial establishment above the Aloft hotel.
The developer would spend at least $13.1 million dollars, with the city contributing $1.6 million, and have the project finished by the end of this month. The city says the garage and event spaces are completed but the apartments aren’t.
On Thursday the commission granted Washington Square’s request for a six-month extension. The city’s Joseph Molnar told the commission the developer attributes much of the delay to tariffs imposed on the materials this past spring.
Their revised agreement now gives Washington Square until the end of June to finish the project, but they must increase their investment from $13.1 million to $18 million while not increasing the commission’s contribution.
