So let me try to give an apolitical (if anybody can believe that) analysis of that situation. I grew up in South Bend. I still have relatives there. Pete and I are the same age and we have probably 20+ friends in common, but don't know each other and never met to my knowledge. I've been functionally gone as a resident since I left for college in 2000. Since my parents moved out in 2012, I visit my grandmother a few times a year and that's my only contact there.
South Bend is the epitome of the rust belt. We embody every stereotype. Union problems, race problems, job problems, education problems, the list goes on and on and on. It's also your typical mid-small city which means everybody knows everyone else's biz, especially in my circles. There are no secrets. I chose to get out, as it appeared to me in 2004 that there was little prospect for change. I wanted to stay as my part of the city was safe and easy to live in, but I wanted a bit more growth.
Fast forward 15 years, and we have 2019 and all the froth that's brought us. South Bend has made some big changes, but lots has stayed the same. We (they?) finally confronted our identity as a rust belt city. The Studebaker factory (closed since 1964) is finally being torn down except for some select repurposing. The downtown is no longer a great place to get robbed, and people are opening shops there. Notre Dame is finally acknowledging their role and investing in the city.
Pete is now the mayor, and I love the positive vibes even though I disagree with him on a lot. But this frustrates me. Why didn't Joe Kernan or other mayors wave this magic positive vibes wand and fix everything?
Because it's a lot of smoke and mirrors. There are still plenty of dangerous sides of the city. There is still plenty of crime. The job situation is a bit better due to the national economy, but I'd still be leery of locating a plant there. The other mayors weren't stupid or lazy, they just didn't buy into the showmanship bit.
So I wish Pete well. It's like watching Indiana U or ND win a title. I didn't go there, I don't know the player names, but the home team is always fun to see win. I love that he wants to facilitate a return of the South Shore to downtown. But what will really fix town? Lots of heavy lifting and addressing serious probs that won't change through bike share, street re-routing, and stuff like that. It's going to be a very long time before the neighborhood around the Amtrak station is fixed. My mom grew up there and moved out around 1960 when it went downhill. Bendix had a huge plant there (billion dollar operation in todays money) and they didn't walk away from all that investment for kicks. It just didn't make sense, and it still doesn't.
Rant over.
TLDR I wish Pete the best but it's going to be a long time until you can eat well at Bendix Station.
The new Acela: It's not Aveliable.