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Council approves six-year tax abatement for Cascade Phase 2 mixed-use project

Common Council of the City of South Bend · May 1, 2026
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Summary

The council approved a 6-year real-property tax abatement for Cascade Phase 2, a proposed $50 million, 8-story mixed-use development; staff estimated roughly $2.7 million in taxes abated over six years and projected $13.8 million in tax revenue over 20 years.

The South Bend Common Council voted unanimously on April 27 to approve a six-year real-property tax abatement for Cascade Phase 2, a proposed mixed-use development in the East Bank area.

Eric Glavich, director of growth and opportunity, presented the request and said the phase would be an eight-story, roughly 112,000-square-foot building with about 30,000 square feet of commercial space. Staff estimated the project cost for this phase at roughly $50 million and projected the abatement would amount to about $2.7 million in tax relief over six years. Glavich said that, applying assumptions about residential ownership and tax caps, the property would be expected to produce approximately $13.8 million in tax revenue over 20 years.

Frank Perry of Wharf Partners LLC, the developer, said incentives were necessary to make the project financially viable and described prior development work in the East Bank area. "We're excited about the project ourselves," Perry said. Glavich told the council the abatement terms mirror those used for Cascade Phase 1 in 2018 and that the abatement is structured so that residential units receive the tax abatement only while held by the developer; the abatement would expire on units sold to private owners.

No public speakers opposed the abatement during the hearing. Murray Miller, representing Laborers' Local 645, later spoke during Privilege of the Floor opposing a separate proposed moratorium on hyperscale data centers and advocating for projects that strengthen the tax base.

The council voted 9-0 to pass the resolution confirming adoption of the declaratory resolution designating the project area as an economic revitalization area and approving a six-year abatement.