The boundaries downtown are generally considered to be the following: on the west bank of the St. Joseph River, north of Sample Street and east of Lafayette Boulevard.

It features many local businesses as well as a hospital, hotels, museums, and office buildings.

In the 1970s, the area suffered from decreased economic activity and urban decay, but city-sponsored revitalization and reinvestment in the community has since improved downtown.

Morris Performing Arts Center is a historic 2,564-seat venue that hosts the South Bend Symphony Orchestra[1] as well as musicals, plays, concerts, and other events.

It contains the South Bend Museum of Art and connects via underground tunnel to the former College Football Hall of Fame.