South Bend residents see future plans for former Drewry's Brewery

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tonight, South Bend residents got their first look at what the city has planned for the future of the former Drewry's Brewery site.

The long-abandoned property has been an eyesore for decades and required millions of dollars in EPA funding to remove thousands of tons of asbestos-contaminated waste and debris.

For decades, the former Drewry's Brewery site has stood vacant on South Bend's northwest side. Now, city leaders are sharing their vision for the property and asking residents to help shape what comes next.

According to the city, the site faced years of neglect under previous owners. In 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency removed fourteen thousand tons of waste and debris, while the Indiana Department of Environmental Management removed six underground storage tanks in 2024 to stabilize the site.

Joseph Molnar, deputy director of the Department of Community Investment, said he wants residents to understand what's happening and provide feedback on what they would like to see happen with the space.

"The end end goal is a better park, Muessel Grove park is next door, we want to make sure we’re improving our park space, we’re not just-it’s a brewery site but of course the whole neighborhood that’s surrounds mussel grove park and then a redevelopment of the site making it a positive again for the community," Molnar said.

Residents like Torri Love, who lives near the long-abandoned site, said they would like to see more local grocery options.

“I would like to see it be more productive, addressing the needs of the community as far as pharmacies, grocery stores, things that’ll help with the residents' needs”. 

South Bend City Councilwoman Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers attended Tuesday night's meeting to learn more about the project's future.

"I came out because I’m sitting up here voting on stuff that I need to come see what it looks like and another reason I came out is district 1 and district 2, they are both put together so I’m here to see what else is going to be added," Gooden-Rodgers said.

City leaders said the nearly twenty-four-acre site, which includes the former brewery property, the old shopping plaza and the former gas station, has the potential to transform a long-blighted area into a new community as planning moves forward.

Molnar said the next steps include additional soil remediation and ensuring the site is suitable for future development.