Buckingham announces major housing development near Notre Dame campus
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A heavily-trafficked corridor just north from the University of Notre Dame will soon see some major development.
Buckingham Companies recently announced plans to build a $180 million housing project with over 370 multi-family units, 100 townhomes and an additional 75 or so senior living apartments when all phases are completed.
The project will be built at the intersection of Douglas Road and U.S. 933, at the northwestern edge of Notre Dame’s campus.
That land was owned by Notre Dame and formerly used for married graduate student housing. The university sent out a request for proposals for development projects on the site and selected Buckingham, which previously worked with Notre Dame to built the Foundry Apartments on Eddy Street.
Buckingham Senior Vice President for Development Ryan Gallmeyer told St. Joseph County officials in June the new units will be market rate and likely not geared toward students. The location could attract Notre Dame employees, as well as future employees at the Amazon Web Services and General Motors plants to the west in New Carlisle.
“We’re right off the toll road and provide great access to several of the new developments over in New Carlisle, quick access to Chicago, close proximity to the university,” Gallmeyer told officials. “This would really revitalize and encourage development along the 933 corridor.”
Gallmeyer hopes to break ground on Phase 1—which is the 374 or so apartment units—by the end of this year. Completion for the first phase would be 2027 and the whole project could be finished by late 2028.
Northern Edge TIF
To help pay for the project, officials in St. Joseph County are moving forward on the creation of a new TIF district that will capture taxes to pay Buckingham back on the bonds the company will take out to finance construction.
St. Joseph County Director of Economic Development Bill Schalliol said the TIF agreement will send 85% of revenues to Buckingham, leaving 15% for public improvements in Roseland—the small municipality that hugs 933 north of Notre Dame. Included in the TIF district is the former Holliday Inn lot a mile north of the Buckingham development, which Schalliol believes has redevelopment potential.
“We think this is a great project. The other housing projects that are in that area have added value to Roseland, but we think by adding some commercial square footage … more residents living there year round,” Schalliol said. “We think that there’s a lot of spinoffs this will do that we think is a win for that 933 corridor.”
Final approval for the project and the TIF will go before the St. Joseph County Council in October. Before then, there are still details to work out, such as a request from the Clay Fire Territory seeking to be exempt from the TIF so they can pay for the expected increase in calls for service they expect to see.
Overall, Schalliol says the new housing with more year-round residents will only help the area.