Gary city officials are working out the details for a series of “Preservation Tours” to be held in coming months that are meant to show off structures that reflect the city’s history.
The Common Council on Tuesday voted 9-0 in favor of an ordinance that sets a budget of just over $16,000 for the events. Money was raised from private donations coming from 83 groups or individuals who are current or former Gary residents, with another $7,500 coming from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.
The Gary Redevelopment Commission will coordinate the events, with help from the AmeriCorps VISTA group, which provided the city with two interns who have helped to plan the events.
As of now, officials want to have two walking tours and a daylong open house. Dates of May 27, June 17 and July 15 are tentative, although Redevelopment Executive Director Joseph Van Dyk said it has not been decided which date will be used for which event.
Buildings to be included as part of the program include the onetime Gary train station at 200 N. Broadway, the former Hotel Gary that now is the Genesis Towers building at 578 Broadway, the City Methodist Church at 577 Washington St., City Hall at 401 N. Broadway and the Gary City Courthouse located across the street, the onetime Gary State Bank Building at 504 Broadway, the former post office at 600 N. Massachusetts St. and the Gary Land Co. building that was the first structure built when the city was developed in 1906.
Van Dyk said there also will be a program explaining the significance of all the structures to be held at ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen, at 411 E. 5th Ave.
Michael Maguire, a retired Gary firefighter, said he likes the idea of a historic tour, but fears that once the summer events are complete, the sites will continue to deteriorate.
Michelle Robinson, who operates a mobile pet-grooming business in Gary, said she likes the idea of showing off the city’s architectural attributes. “We need to showcase our history, and show off the beauty of what we have.”
Common Council President Ronald Brewer agreed, saying, “Sometimes, we have to advertise our community because people don’t know what’s here.”
In other business, the Common Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance that transfers $4 million of the $4.6 million in County Economic Development Income Tax funds it expects to have this year to the city’s general fund, the portion of the budget that pays for daily municipal expenses.
They also adjusted the city Building Department’s rental registration housing fund, which had two part-time clerks working at different salaries even though both were doing comparable duties. Both will now receive the same salary.
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
