Local commercial real estate group Cressy has moved into its new headquarters in Mishawaka, occupying the second floor of the former police station.
The new space accommodates the company’s future growth, but is also a sign of downtown’s future development.
“Downtown has been kind of exploding,” says Noah Davey, a partner at Cressy Commercial Real Estate. “We got rid of the jail cells, if you will, the holding cells and things like that, but there’s some homage to the history of the building.”
The reimagined space, which sits along the Mishawaka Riverwalk, brings a bit of vibrancy to the site, with opportunities for a potential neighbour to build next door.
“It really fits in with everything that’s happening downtown,” explains Jeff Rea, CEO of the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce. “You’re seeing new housing, new offices, new retail and some public uses that will follow in that space.”
The city has already built up along the riverwalk with new developments such as the Mill.
There’s also been talk of a designated outdoor eating area to attract more nightlife.
And there’s still room for more businesses in the old police station, with an empty first floor that’s just crying out for a restaurant.
“We’ve had some good activity from people, some household names that you’d know locally, so that’s a bit of a teaser, but ultimately we haven’t done any deals,” says Davey.
“I’d be surprised if someone didn’t snap it up and build a great space where people can all come and enjoy themselves,” predicts Rea.
For the Cressy team, who are celebrating their move and their 75th anniversary on the same day, it’s the hub they’ve been longing for.
“There are people in our company I might see every 2-3 months, now that we’re all under one roof it’s almost every day,” says Davey.
There have been rumours of a wine bar possibly occupying the first floor space, but Davey says he can’t confirm or deny the rumours at this stage.
