South Bend officials are trying to safe a building that has long been neglected.
The historic Lafayette building has been deemed a safety hazard. The empty shell of a building was named one of the top 10 most endangered properties in the state by Indiana Landmarks.
The building opened in 1903 as South Bend’s first office building, but it was last occupied in 2011. Since then, bricks have been falling from the sides of the building, the roof is damaged, and the skylights are smashed out.
The South Bend Department of Community Investment would like to spend $1.5 million to renovate the building once it officially takes possession of the property.
