A South Bend developer plans to renovate the long-vacant Inwoods Building.
When Sarah Hill’s firm, Penny Hill Homes, bought what she calls the Monroe Street Arts Building in 2022, it already housed a thriving arts scene. The upper two floors have studios for musicians and artists, some of whom have been there for 40 years.
Now Hill plans to renovate the exterior and at least the first floor of the historic Inwoods Building next door at 425 S. Michigan St. It was built in 1929 as a Sears store, then became Inwoods, a kind of discount housewares store, that closed in 1989. It’s been vacant since 1999.
On Monday the city’s common council will consider granting Hill a property tax abatement for the project. She’s also working with a nearly $500,000 state grant, and has committed to investing about $1.5 million.
Hill says she plans an art market on the first floor.
“So we’re looking at having 20 different booths or spots, kind of French market-inspired, where people can either do their art there, they can sell their art there, and also different enclosed commercial spaces,” Hill said.
With many other development projects happening in the immediate area, Hill says the timing is right to bring the Inwoods Building back into good use.
“It’s like a missing tooth right now in the smile of that block,” she said.
