The City of Gary launched the first phase of its downtown revitalization project in collaboration with the Notre Dame School of Architecture’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative. During a joint press conference, Mayor Eddie Melton and city officials highlighted the city’s rich history and expressed their enthusiasm for this promising new partnership.
"This partnership is a unique opportunity to create a new master plan for our great city. We're excited to begin this work with the support of a world class educational institution like Notre Dame," said Mayor Eddie Melton. "Thanks to the passage of Indiana SB 434 in 2023, we have been able to jump start Downtown Gary’s revitalization with $12M of blight elimination. Moving forward, we want to make sure that we are very intentional about what we decide to rebuild. This partnership will equip our community with tools to envision a sustainable plan for development that brings opportunities for businesses and residents to thrive in the heart of downtown."
The partnership will begin with a series of community listening sessions followed by a weeklong public urban planning session, conducted by the School of Architecture’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative. This process, known as a Dean’s Charrette, will result in a proposed vision and action plan for the rebuilding and revitalization of downtown Gary.
“It’s an honor to collaborate with Mayor Melton, his team, and the residents of Gary to help facilitate a conversation about the future of the city,” said Marianne Cusato, director of the Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative. “Our Initiative works closely with cities throughout the region to assess the conditions, listen to community aspirations, and balance fiscal realities to develop an inclusive and equitable vision for the built environment.”
The Housing & Community Regeneration Initiative began in 2021 and has conducted seven charrettes throughout northern Indiana and southwest Michigan to date. Through its 100-Mile Coalition, it seeks to partner with communities within a 100-mile radius of the University of Notre Dame to guide leadership and community members, share knowledge, and assist with the city’s community development efforts.
“The process that we have honed through partnerships with LaPorte, Kalamazoo and Elkhart, among other communities, allows us to inspire a plan to bring opportunities to Gary that have been unrealized until now by listening to community members and leadership, then translating the needs into a prioritized, actionable set of steps toward them,” said Stefanos Polyzoides, Dean of the Notre Dame School of Architecture.
“This partnership with Notre Dame School of Architecture presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our city. I’m inviting all residents to join us in this citizen-led effort to establish a road map for the transformation of Downtown Gary,” said Chris Harris, City of Gary Director of Redevelopment. “Today, we start the work of rebuilding and maximizing the potential of our downtown. Our goal is to ultimately attract new businesses and talent to invest, live, and work within our urban core. Residents will benefit from a concentration of amenities that are unmatched in the region: a safe, walkable downtown with quality public spaces, offering multimodal transportation, with easy access to Chicago and Indiana Dunes National Park.”
Mayor Melton and his team began talks with the Notre Dame School of Architecture months before he took office in early 2024. City of Gary Corporation Counsel Carla Morgan, who is an alumna of the school, facilitated the initial discussions. “I am proud to have helped bring my alma mater Notre Dame and its resources to Gary," said City of Gary Corporation Counsel Carla Morgan. "Notre Dame’s School of Architecture is not only one of the top in the world, but its dedication to community is unmatched. I know that together, our teams will accomplish great things.”
The scope of work of the collaboration includes developing a vision and implementation plan for the regeneration of downtown Gary, creating a set of design standards for the Broadway corridor, developing a series of design templates for workforce housing units and commercial spaces, as well as developing a concept design for the new Intermodal Transit Facility.
“The ultimate goal for this collaboration is to create a vibrant downtown where current residents of Gary are active stakeholders in the city’s future. And, at the same time, new residents and investors are drawn to call Gary home,” said Cusato, who will lead the charrette process. “Achieving this goal starts by designing a built environment that inspires a pride of place, creates economic opportunities, and offers safe and attainable housing options.”
