Portage Township residents weigh in on the future of Portage Manor ahead of Tuesday's public meeting

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Portage Township residents are sharing their suggestions for the future of Portage Manor ahead of the public meeting on Tuesday.

There are three competing proposals for the future of the historic building in St. Joseph County. There are calls to tear it down, possibly sell it to a school and now, potentially create new affordable apartments in the century old building.

The property was first built in 1906 as a farm where disabled people could live in work. In the 80s, it became a state-licensed healthcare facility. In July 2023, the County shut it down, citing the high costs of keeping the building up and running.

On Monday, Portage Township Trustee Jason Critchlow sent an email to County Commissioners with his input. Critchlow wants Portage Manor to remain county property. He shared he would prefer to preserve the building and find a new use for it and its expansive property.

Critchlow shared he would prefer to preserve the building and find a new use for it and its expansive property.

As a former healthcare and living facility for the mentally and physically challenged, the building was once important to many people and Critchlow says it can be an important place once again.

"We see how a large acreage of land can be beneficial to a community, not only surrounding neighborhoods, but to the community as a whole where we have Rum Village on the south side of town, which is used for lots of different recreational and educational purposes here in South Bend I think it makes total sense that they should be doing that with Portage Manor property as well. Now, 'who does that?' is probably the next question but I think those are the steps that as a community we need to start taking," said Critchlow.

He says he building was once important to people in the community and believes it can be important again.

"It split up families, it split up friends and this is a service that the County has been providing for 120 years and it’s no longer provided. So, what a great opportunity to keep it in the hands of the people in both ways. As a program, if we're going to preserve part of the property for public use and public enjoyment, and then if we put some sort of cooperative housing model in other areas there. Again, if that’s something that is owned, and the decision is governed by the people who lived there and so what a great way to make sure that it stays in the hands of the people forever."

The meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 28 at 11 a.m. At the St. Joseph County Commissioners meeting.