The Renaissance District spans 1.3 million square feet of redeveloped industrial space located just south of downtown South Bend, Indiana. Encompassing 80 blocks of urban real estate, this district is undergoing revitalization to transform into a vibrant business and technology hub, marketplace and neighborhood.

In the heart of this area lies the former Studebaker plant, a sprawling manufacturing complex comprised of dozens of buildings. For over half a century, Studebaker stood as one of the largest and most innovative automobile manufacturers in the world. At its peak, the company employed an impressive 26,000 workers who collectively produced a remarkable total of 4.2 million vehicles. This historic site is a testament to the industrial prosperity and innovative spirit that once defined the region.

As part of the Renaissance District development, the former auto plant was acquired with plans to retrofit the historic structures into a large-scale, mixed-use technology center.

The South Bend plant ceased operations in 1963, and since then, the property has remained largely vacant and has fallen into a state of disrepair. As part of the Renaissance District development, the former auto plant was acquired with plans to retrofit the historic structures into a large-scale, mixed-use technology center. Frost Engineering served as engineer of record as part of structural improvement efforts on multiple Studebaker buildings including Building 84, or Ivy Tower, and two smaller scale, two-story buildings known as 112 and 113. The Frost team conducted thorough field inspections and assessments to identify any potential structural issues, both interior and exterior. Additionally, they developed detailed design drawings for the planned building modifications.