The city of Gary and a local attorney are in the midst of a legal battle over a downtown property.
“I am extremely outraged and disappointed in the city of Gary,” said Russell Drake, son of attorney Macarthur Drake, who owns the building at 487 Broadway. “My parents still live in the city, unlike a lot of people who’ve moved out for various reasons. … My parents are in their senior years, and they’ve contributed honestly to the community at large.’
The city of Gary, represented by attorney David Westland, filed a civil lawsuit in Lake County Circuit Court against the 487 Broadway Company LLC on Nov. 4, 2025, according to online court records. The city is seeking ownership of 487 Broadway from Macarthur Drake.
The parties have a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday with Lake County Circuit Court Judge Marissa McDermott.
According to its complaint, city leadership allege “it is necessary” to acquire the property for its blight elimination and redevelopment efforts in downtown Gary.
The property is neighbors with the Mecca Building, which Mayor Eddie Melton announced would be demolished through the city’s blight elimination efforts. The property is also located at the intersection of Broadway and 5th Avenue, in front of Gary City Hall.
City spokesperson Steve Segura was unable to immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
According to the complaint, the city offered Marcarthur Drake $282,500 for 487 Broadway in a July 14, 2025, letter and followed up in a July 17, 2025, letter. Melton, Gary COO Michael Suggs, and Corporation Counsel Carla Morgan hand-delivered the letter, according to the complaint.
Gary leadership asks in the lawsuit that the court orders appropriation of the property and appoint three “disinterested freeholders” in Lake County to appraise interest value and amount of benefits and damages.
Russell Drake told the Post-Tribune in a Wednesday phone call that Macarthur Drake began meeting with Melton and Redevelopment Director Christopher Harris “a little more than a year ago.”
“They wanted to make sure they preserved his building, and they were going to redevelop downtown, and they wanted him to be part of it,” Russell Drake said. “After a few months, … the conversation shifted from one to be part of it to almost bringing up mediocre offers to purchase his building, to which he was really taken aback from.”
Macarthur Drake was unable to immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Russell Drake has made various social media posts about the issue.
Russell Drake said Macarthur Drake wasn’t interested in the city’s offers for the building, which led the city to seek control of the building through eminent domain, which allows the government to take a private building and convert it into public use.
Macarthur Drake and the city had a “series of Zoom meetings,” Russell Drake said, to talk through the situation before the city filed the suit against them. Russell Drake said they didn’t learn about the lawsuit for two weeks because they “were never properly served.”
“My dad is an attorney, so he went on to do all the necessary legal steps,” Russell Drake said. “He procured his own attorneys, of course. It was done in such a bad tactical manner.”
Russell Drake said he believes the action is “a cruel attempt” by the city to take privately owned buildings downtown.
He believes in the mayor’s plan to eliminate blight, Russell Drake said, but he’s worried about what it means for long-term residents going forward.
“(Melton) wants to do more development and garner more people to the city, and that’s a great thing, and we want that,” Russell Drake said. “But we don’t want everyday citizens to be pushed out at the hands of big groups, hedge funds or outside influencers, and for the people to not be given an opportunity to be part of it.”
