Northwest Side

Portage Crossing residents enjoy the best of tranquil neighborhood life with the convenience of the city.  Historic houses, expansive lawns and mature trees contribute to this northwest neighborhood's grandiosity.

Near the place where explorer Robert de LaSalle found a portage from the St. Joseph River to the Kankakee River and beyond to the Mississippi, the Portage Crossing neighborhood remains quite a find for home buyers.

One man bought a house in this northwest-side neighborhood in the 1970s because he was coming from Connecticut to work at the University of Notre Dame.  He hasn't moved.

"We really enjoy the neighborhood," he said.  "It's a very pleasant place. It's very easy to get to places, too."

Another couple bought a house a few years ago because they were coming from Wisconsin to work at Notre Dame.  They don't expect to move, either.

"We really love it," said the young mother, who enjoys walking the sidewalks with her daughter. "Every day at 4, the kids and the moms are out.  Our neighborhood hangs out a lot. I could name every family that lives on this block.  We do lots of stuff together."

"I have a sidewalk," another resident said. "I have neighbors who care about me.  We have a big porch.  Those things sort of lend themselves to community life."

Portage Crossing's trees shade a wide range of architectural styles. Brick, stucco, stone and siding facades grace the homes. Beauty and convenience –
just north of downtown South Bend and west of Notre Dame – have long made it an attractive place to live. Increasing retail and restaurant development north on Portage at Cleveland, including the new German Township Branch of the St. Joseph County Public Library, is another plus.

The area stretches from Lathrop Street on the north to Marquette Boulevard and Kessler Place on the south, and from College Street on the west to Kessler Boulevard on the east. 

Portage Avenue runs down the center of the neighborhood, which includes houses built as early as the 1860s, though most of the houses were built in the early 20th century.  There are numerous Prairie-style houses, as well as homes built in the Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival and English Cottage styles.

The presidential home for Saint Mary's College was once in the neighborhood, whose residents include several other civic leaders, from leaders of non-profit organizations to police and firefighters.

An area Realtor identifies Portage Crossing as one of the more desirable neighborhoods around.

"It's just a real stable neighborhood. It's always been the Cadillac of neighborhoods for South Bend.

There are many residents affiliated with St. Mary's and Notre Dame, plus people who grew up here and returned. Gathering together in the neighborhood, whether at a nearby restaurant for a meal, at each other's homes for parties, or on blocked-off streets for a Fourth of July parade or other event, is also a longstanding tradition. 

The neighborhood is walking distance from stores, and other businesses along Portage, as well as several churches and schools.  It is a few minutes' drive from downtown and Notre Dame.

"I love it that I can put the kids in a stroller and walk to Martin's Supermarket," said a mother of four, who has lived in the neighborhood since 2001.  "We walk to Family Video, walk up Portage and see the beautiful houses."  Home prices start at bargain rates up to $300,000 range.

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Department of Community & Economic Development
Division of Community Development
227 W. Jefferson Boulevard • Suite 1200 S
South Bend, IN  46601
574.235.9660 • Fax: 574.235.9469