From Mayor James Mueller
From his State of the City Address on July 29th, 2021, Mayor James Mueller “believes the time is right to transform the King Center to a “Dream Center” at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. We can build a world-class, intergenerational community center, inspiring hope for us all. This is a concept that will be developed by the community. Resources may include small business incubation, educational opportunities, health resources, recreational activities, technological access, and creative programming. In tandem with the Dream Center’s development, we are taking intentional steps to revitalize the Linden Avenue corridor. Deeper partnerships with community organizations will be critical to the programmatic success of this new center.”
Project Name
- The name of the project is the “Build the Dream!” project.
- The name of the Center will continue to be the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.
Project Goals
- Renovations to the MLK Center’s campus include a larger, more modern facility and grounds. Community feedback will drive the design of these renovations and future programming at the MLK Center. We invite all members of the Center community to make their voice heard during the City’s community engagement efforts!
- The City also aims to catalyze further business and community development efforts in the surrounding areas of the Center.
- During the renovations, the MLK Center’s staff and programming will be available at other sites.
Community Engagement
- The City will conduct broad and meaningful community engagement for this project. The goal is to ensure renovations and programming reflect community needs.
- The City will gather feedback through:
- public meetings,
- mailers,
- an online survey,
- at the MLK Center, and
- a Community Advisory Group composed of community members in the surrounding area.
- You can attend in-person public engagement sessions at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on:
- January 10th, 2022
- February 10th, 2022
- March 10th, 2022
- You can submit feedback online here.
Project Schedule
- December 2021 to March 2022: The City will gather initial feedback but will also gather feedback throughout the project.
- 2022: The design phase will continue throughout 2022. A groundbreaking will happen before the beginning of 2023.
- 2023: Construction will start in the beginning of 2023 and continue through the year.
- 2024: Completion will likely be in late 2024.
Project Architects
- The City has engaged Meticulous Architecture and Design, a diverse, global, and world class architectural firm whose backgrounds echo that of the community that the Center serves.
- Meticulous has built a multi-disciplinary team and engaged local firm DLZ to assist in the project.
Project Construction
Once designed, the project will be publicly bid through the City’s normal procurement process. Goals for Minority and Women owned business inclusion will be incorporated into the bidding documents.
Project Budget
- The project budget has increased to $18 after the original $11 million dollars was appropriated from the American Rescue Plan by South Bend City Council.
- The City will seek additional public and private funds including grants, corporate sponsors, and individual donations. Stay tuned for ways you can be a part of helping to “Build the Dream” at the new Center!