119 Years at The Lauber – Live at The J.C. Lauber Building
South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend hosted by Jacob Titus and Dustin Mix.
Subscribe to South Bend on Purpose: Apple | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | TuneIn
Listen and subscribe to our podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play
| Radio Public
| Stitcher
Welcome to episode four of season three of South Bend on Purpose. This season we’re telling the stories of people who are betting on South Bend by investing new purpose into old spaces, whether that's an old industrial building or a once lively plot of land; people whose internal purpose has manifested itself into a physical part of our city – the streets, parks, buildings, and restaurants of South Bend.
Each episode tells the story of a space in South Bend, and the season is structured around a series of live events where we interview the people behind the projects.
On Tuesday, June 25th we hosted the third of these live events in The Lauber Kitchen and Bar, a newly-opened restaurant inside the historic J.C. Lauber Building. We interviewed Frank Perri, the building’s owner and developer, and Patrick Whittling, a partner in the project, who, separately and together, are rapidly changing the landscape of South Bend’s East Bank neighborhood.
Our conversation explores the neighborhood’s history as Lowell, Indiana before becoming part of South Bend, Frank and Patrick’s history with the city, and how they think about designing a space that serves a modern purpose without compromising the building’s legacy.
Listen now:
“South Bend on Purpose” is made on the corner of Tutt and Carroll by Jacob Titus, Helen Cramer, Dustin Mix, and Anna Kennedy with mastering by Jonathan Keur.
1977 South Bend Tribune photograph of a fireplace made by The J.C. Lauber Company.
1928 South Bend Tribune advertisement for The J.C. Lauber Company.
1977 South Bend Tribune advertisement for The J.C. Lauber Company.
1973 South Bend Tribune photograph of The J.C. Lauber Company’s Lasalle Street facade.
2016 photograph of The J.C. Lauber Building’s Lasalle Street facade by Will Johnson.
2016 photograph of The J.C. Lauber Building from Niles Avenue by Will Johnson.
2019 photograph of the newly-restored J.C. Lauber Building’s Lasalle Street facade.