Downtown businesses hope to benefit from Aloft South Bend

The Chase Tower in South Bend finally has a new tenant, Aloft Hotel.

The $30 million project will feature 183 hotel rooms and 83 apartments when they open in 2017.

Local businesses say they are excited to have such a large source of potential customers close by.

The staff at the Linden Grill across the street from the Chase Tower is hoping it’ll bring in more customers on their slow nights.

Tamakia Johnson uses one word to describe waitressing Monday nights at the Linden Grill: slow.

Johnson hopes that with the new hotel across the street the seats at Linden Grill will soon be filled and so will her pockets.

“Hopefully it brings in a lot of business for all of us in the downtown area. I know a lot of places down here don’t get much business so I think it will be real great,” said Johnson.

Mark Neal, Chief Operating Officer for Bradley Company, says it’ll be awhile until local businesses see the effects of the new visitors staying in town.

“I know people are excited. They’re expecting the hotel to be ready for occupancy in the first part of 2017,” said Neal.

Neal says the re-development is just one part of a much larger project here in south bend.

“I think people are excited for the continuing revitalization of downtown. The fact that we have an iconic building, the tallest building downtown now looking for a complete face lift and i think a great new opportunity for it and i think people are excited about what’s going on,” said Neal.

Johnson agrees that it’s not just more business that locals are excited for.

“I mean, anything to add to our community, to add to south bend, it’s always a treat,” said Johnson.

For a look at what you could be seeing when the Aloft Hotel comes to South Bend, click here.