Crumbling river walls near South Bend's Seitz Park cause delayed reopening, cost overruns

Jordan Smith, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read
An aerial view of Seitz Park, across from the Century Center in downtown South Bend, captured this summer shows ongoing construction. Closed since August 2019, the park's reopening is delayed by several months because of aging river walls.
An aerial view of Seitz Park, across from the Century Center in downtown South Bend, captured this summer shows ongoing construction. Closed since August 2019, the park's reopening is delayed by several months because of aging river walls.

SOUTH BEND — A plan to open portions of Seitz Park this summer is delayed by several months because of unexpectedly severe damage to the concrete walls along the St. Joseph River.

A major portion is in need of rebuilding near the cascade, where flowing water speeds up as it passes over a dam, Public Works Director Eric Horvath said. Part of the wall, which is meant to be rock-solid, was found to have shifted out toward the water.

Cracked and eroded concrete was revealed during work on the concrete river wall bordering Seitz Park in downtown South Bend. This section near the cascade shifted out toward the water.
Cracked and eroded concrete was revealed during work on the concrete river wall bordering Seitz Park in downtown South Bend. This section near the cascade shifted out toward the water.

Horvath said construction has revealed many structural issues in the decades-old river walls around Seitz Park, across the river from Century Center. Teams of divers have gone in the water to fill holes or cracks with grout, shoring up the sagging foundation.

"Whenever you're digging down underground, you run into unforeseen conditions," Horvath said. "There's always stuff you just don't know about and then you have to deal with it. That's particularly true around rivers, where you've got moving water that's constantly trying to pull soil away."

The city plans to give Ziolkowski Construction until at least November to repair the walls while work continues elsewhere. Horvath expects the cost of the Seitz Park project, estimated at $3.6 million, could jump by $300,000 to $500,000 to pay for the additional repairs.

More: What's being built at South Bend's Seitz Park?

The park just north of the Jefferson Boulevard bridge has been closed since August 2019, when the University of Notre Dame began construction on a $27.1 million hydroelectric plant at the dam. The facility was finished in September after the university sidestepped a legal dispute about where it installed power lines.

Many improvements are being made at the park, including a riverwalk twice the size of the old one, a new concessions facility and a stage to host summer concerts. The South Bend river lights display will return in full once the park reopens.

Horvath said sections of the park could open yet this fall, but repair work will carry over into next year.

Contact South Bend Tribune city reporter Jordan Smith at 574-235-6480 or JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jordantsmith09

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: St. Joseph River erosion issue delays South Bend Seitz Park reopening