South Bend was named as one of "America's Dying Cities" by Newsweek last year.

On Thursday the city redeemed itself with Mayor Buttigieg serving as the spokesperson. A seven minute piece aired on NPR’s "All Things Considered."

After the piece aired the local affiliate, WVPE, asked NPR if they could re-air it a couple more times the next morning. Listeners called in wanting to hear the piece again.

The piece mostly features Mayor Buttigieg's take on how the city has recovered after Studebaker closed in 1963. The mayor points out how the vacant buildings are now being used for technology, old buildings have been torn down and the headquarters will likely be saved.

“This is an excellent example as was indicated in the story of having your number one employer suddenly say oops we're done and then leave and then how do you recover from the economic devastation,” says WVPE station manager Anthony Hunt.

Notre Dame is also given credit for helping develop key partnerships with investment on and off campus.

LaSalle Grill owner Mark McDonnell says, “I think Steve Luecke, our previous mayor, did a good thing leveraging federal money to get rid of the eyesores. I would like to see part of the past remain and Kevin Smith is doing a good job of that. I think he is now in control of the old administration building.”

The story is part of a series NPR is doing on the “drying cities” Newsweek listed.

If you would like to listen to the story go to www.npr.org.