Is Gary safe enough? (Hobart, Schererville: high crime, neighborhoods, school)

[SoSho]

Someone mentioned that Gary is on the comeback. Couldn't agree more. Lived in Chicago all of my life and believe me, I keep my head on a swivel there. But I've invested in Gary/Miller for the past eight years and while high taxes have most recently eroded some of the tremendous bargain properties, the city remains an unpolished jewel. Where else can you actually live on the lakefront with a view of Chicago?

Honestly, I've been leveraging the negativity associated with it for years! They're investing a ton of money into an already beautiful lakefront. We're building a house in Miller and investing in a mixed use development in the heart of Downtown Gary in the near future.

Miller has obviously progressed much faster and I highly recommend spending some time and seeing the incredible diversity for yourself. Some of the nicest people I've met live throughout the city too. No way would I consider moving my family somewhere that inherently didn't feel safe. Crime is everywhere in urban cities and Gary's no different.

Sorry if I've ruined the bad reputation.

Happy hunting!

[LIS123]

Originally Posted by SoSho

Someone mentioned that Gary is on the comeback. Couldn't agree more. Lived in Chicago all of my life and believe me, I keep my head on a swivel there. But I've invested in Gary/Miller for the past eight years and while high taxes have most recently eroded some of the tremendous bargain properties, the city remains an unpolished jewel. Where else can you actually live on the lakefront with a view of Chicago?

Sorry if I've ruined the bad reputation.

Happy hunting!

I don't see Gary (as a whole) improving anytime soon. Certain sections (like Miller) maybe on the up-and-up, but the city had been declining for a long time (and continues to do so). There was a recent article about the masive efforts needed to clean the city and the fact that it's so bad that the Government will barely be able to scratch the surface of it.

I would be SHOCKED if Gary improves significantly in the next 20 years. I'd probably be shocked if it even levelled off, as opposed to continuing its decline.

[svillechris]

this question is not meant to be racist, but one that I would like to know the answer to.. what other town that you know of was previously predominantly white middle/upper class, then experienced the white flight, became very rundown, and years later was able to make a comeback? none that I can think of... can anybody? this is what would happen to Gary if it were to make a comeback.

[css9450]

Originally Posted by SoSho

... and investing in a mixed use development in the heart of Downtown Gary in the near future.

If possible can you share any more information about that? Downtown Gary doesn't exactly have the draw that Miller does, at least not anymore. I've seen too many downtown businesses come and go and would really like to see something succeed for a change.

[slow_nerve_action]

Originally Posted by svillechris

this question is not meant to be racist, but one that I would like to know the answer to.. what other town that you know of was previously predominantly white middle/upper class, then experienced the white flight, became very rundown, and years later was able to make a comeback? none that I can think of... can anybody? this is what would happen to Gary if it were to make a comeback.

considering that the phenomenon is only 50 years old, its a bit too early to start looking for examples. However, I would argue what you see in Brooklyn, NY is exactly that, as well as the South Charles area in Boston.

Gary's situation is a bit different because a whole industry died. It wasn't white flight. It was people moving to where jobs were. That isn't necessarily true with the south/ SW sides of Chicago, and the descendants of those areas now that reside in NWI and Orland Park, and lament the South Side like a lost Avalon.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Is Gary safe enough?

If he's in Detroit, probably not.

[LIS123]

Originally Posted by svillechris

this question is not meant to be racist, but one that I would like to know the answer to.. what other town that you know of was previously predominantly white middle/upper class, then experienced the white flight, became very rundown, and years later was able to make a comeback? none that I can think of... can anybody? this is what would happen to Gary if it were to make a comeback.

I can't think of any either, but think of Gary in and of itself. It's totally rundown and there is no tangible reason whatsoever to see it rebounding anytime soon. The longer it takes until Gary improves, the further it will decline. Given the problems with the nation's finance and Economy at large, that makes Gary's recover that much less likely.

If you're thinking that Gary will not improve anytime soon and that it will get worse before it gets better (if that ever happens), you're right.

[svillechris]

Originally Posted by slow_nerve_action

considering that the phenomenon is only 50 years old, its a bit too early to start looking for examples. However, I would argue what you see in Brooklyn, NY is exactly that, as well as the South Charles area in Boston.

Gary's situation is a bit different because a whole industry died. It wasn't white flight. It was people moving to where jobs were. That isn't necessarily true with the south/ SW sides of Chicago, and the descendants of those areas now that reside in NWI and Orland Park, and lament the South Side like a lost Avalon.

Although I agree partially with the comment that the (steel) industry died, I don't know if you can say that's 100% of the reason. I agree the industry isn't as vibrant in NWI as it once was, but there are still jobs at the mills, the industry isn't completely dead. And, if the industry dying was the reason for Gary's collapse, then why are there so many other very nice towns in the area? You can't honestly tell me that people who worked in the steel mills only lived in Gary.

[slow_nerve_action]

Originally Posted by svillechris

Although I agree partially with the comment that the (steel) industry died, I don't know if you can say that's 100% of the reason. I agree the industry isn't as vibrant in NWI as it once was, but there are still jobs at the mills, the industry isn't completely dead. And, if the industry dying was the reason for Gary's collapse, then why are there so many other very nice towns in the area? You can't honestly tell me that people who worked in the steel mills only lived in Gary.

Depends on how you define a nice town. If you talk about Munster, Dyer, and Schererville, these were never that dependent, and were able to make the transition to bedroom communities for Chicago- their ascendancy began after the mills employment started to decline. Valpo has an engine in the university.

But, Gary mortgaged its future on the steel industry, gave it all kinds of tax breaks, and did not hold it accountable. The people who worked in the steel industry did not value education much- both the poor whites and the poor blacks that moved up during the great migration of the 1920's. The town did not diversify its industrial base from steel - both upstream and downstream industries depended on it.

I realize that a lot of people look at Gary, and see the people there as a problem, but it might be more apropos to look at them as just the last remnant of an untenable situation. I see Gary, Lake Station, and Hobart as all in the same, dysfunctional boat. Gary might have more hulking wrecks of past eras visible, but all three towns residents face a pretty bleak future.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by svillechris

Although I agree partially with the comment that the (steel) industry died, I don't know if you can say that's 100% of the reason. I agree the industry isn't as vibrant in NWI as it once was, but there are still jobs at the mills, the industry isn't completely dead. And, if the industry dying was the reason for Gary's collapse, then why are there so many other very nice towns in the area? You can't honestly tell me that people who worked in the steel mills only lived in Gary.

USX makes more steel than ever at its plant in Gary. However, it only requires a few hundred employees versus several thousand in the past due to enormous efficiency gains.