Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Gary has been circling the drain for more than 30 yrs, and I don't think it will ever come back.
Mayor King tried for years, and finally threw in the towel. Low income renters with housing vouchers aren't going to bring it back. Maybe a bull-dozer will get the job done.
Have any of you all posted anything on here werth reading? You would rather let Gary dry up and blow in the sands of Lake Michigan than help us revitalize it and make it shine again!
That's the problem, everyone wants to complain about it being broken, no one wants to help fix it.
I love Gary, I am entitled to an opinion about things. The fact is, I live here, stuck in poverty, unable to help myself. The government can only do so much, it can't give me peace of mind or or change yours. Can hardly pay any bills, no jobs outside of Gary want's to hire me and on top of that there are no jobs at all werth talking about in Gary other than that damned mill. The schools arn't werth a drop of ****, and these old politicians that couldn't get a speck of dirt in the 60's now want to pretend like they are top dog! All they want is a chance to rob what little money Gary has left.
And to top it all off, if I get a chance to move out of here to Crown Point, I face ridicule and discrimination from those residents that are just as stereotypical as us. Crown Point will be Crown Point, it's a growing city and the center of law for this county, do I not deserve a chance to live the same lives you do in CP here in Gary, Indiana?
Why is there so much hate and fear and worry? I see it on here. Most of you wouldn't dare think of going on one of these streets up here and talk about what you are posting here. Are you scared your going to get shot? Robbed? Stabbed? Raped? Beaten? Laughed at? Killed? Scared that some low life stupid and slick talking dope dealer is gonna try to get you to buy his drugs? Those things are going on in high schools now!
I've given people directions on how to get back to I-65 South, because they were lost in Gary and was scared. But it's funny, I feel the same way when I get lost in Hobart or Crown Point. You wanna make walls and boundaries, and keep us out.
I lived in Glen Park until 1970 and in Morningside in 1980-1981. I felt very safe and have fond memories of Halloweens and summer thunderstorms, of playing hide and seek in every neighbor's yard, of 'going downtown' (think: Petula Clark). It felt like a happening place. My memories will never change. I always thought Broadway was an endless street until 1988 when I discovered, much to my horror, that Broadway (IN-53) ended near Crown Point! My entire family lived there. But post-1970, many urban Americans decided to abandon their cities. In Gary, the flight was precipitated mostly by the desire to be away from African-Americans and the perception that they were undesirable as neighbors and dangerous to property values. This happened in Detroit to a much larger degree. People fled to California, Texas, Florida, the Sun Belt. Those who didn't want to completely pick up and leave moved to areas adjacent to Gary: Merrillville and Valparaiso where my family still remains.
I think that Gary won't have much of a future because, frankly, if you could live in sunshine and palm trees for the same price, why wouldn't you? What's to keep people there? Even Chicago has lost almost a million residents since 1960. My point is that it's not just 'white flight'. My Mom had to dust every DAY when we lived blocks at 4th and Delaware, in the shadow of the mills and now where the new ballpark is. That's not healthy for children or adults.
Gary's greatest asset is its proximity to Chicago. If the steel mill wasn't there and Gary had a view to the Lake and Chicago's skyline instead of rusting smokestacks, it would be an expensive enclave. I know it's far-fetched but if the mills were destroyed and the land reclaimed, the lakefront and adjacent properties would be worthy of million-dollar homes. But, alas, this will never pass. The land is too toxic.
I feel sorry for my birthplace. I will never return and, in fact, I won't live near my family because I'd have to pass through Gary every time I want to go into Chicago. I simply refuse to be reminded of such horror. In 1999 shortly before the 'millennium party', I did return to my home at 36th and Delaware. It was boarded up. The houses on each side were abandoned and six homes across the street were also empty.
My memories drift to summer afternoons, to earlier times of joy and safety and happiness, to the Gary that was a nice town to live in, to neighbors who watched out for others' children, to walking along Broadway and eating at Dairy Queen, to movies at the Y&W, and those long walks to Grant St. to go shopping with friends. I now live 2000 miles away and my memories seem just as far.
The city of Gary, In is now in the rebuilding stage. I moved here from Chicago and I have no complaints. Sure all big cities have their blights, however Mayor Rudy Clay seems to be on top of this city's problems.
My wife and I just bought a summer house in the Miller Beach section of Gary. From our condo in Chicago we can make the drive in 40 minutes. The Miller Bakery Cafe is usally filled with Chicagoans and the new baseball park is really nice and fun on a summer evening. Most of the people who post such negative items have never set foot in Gary. Getting lost for 10 minutes off the expressway does not constitute a visit. Go on the LTH Forum which is a forum for Chicagoland food lovers, you would be amazed at the amount of people from Chicago who go to E. Chicago, Hammond, Gary and Whiting to check out local restaurants, delis and other small food shops, they are not scared.
There is a lot to see and do in Gary and many of the other less desirable cities in NW Indiana. When narrow minded, bi-level, cul-de-sac loving people try to discourage others by using fear and hate tactics it is a shame. Go see for yourself and help these cities get back on their feet because they need your help and support.
My wife and I just bought a summer house in the Miller Beach section of Gary. From our condo in Chicago we can make the drive in 40 minutes. The Miller Bakery Cafe is usally filled with Chicagoans and the new baseball park is really nice and fun on a summer evening. Most of the people who post such negative items have never set foot in Gary. Getting lost for 10 minutes off the expressway does not constitute a visit. Go on the LTH Forum which is a forum for Chicagoland food lovers, you would be amazed at the amount of people from Chicago who go to E. Chicago, Hammond, Gary and Whiting to check out local restaurants, delis and other small food shops, they are not scared.
There is a lot to see and do in Gary and many of the other less desirable cities in NW Indiana. When narrow minded, bi-level, cul-de-sac loving people try to discourage others by using fear and hate tactics it is a shame. Go see for yourself and help these cities get back on their feet because they need your help and support.
I posted negative thoughts about the city, and I am no stranger to Gary. I was born & raised in that town. I wasn't a part-time resident. Do you have children in the school system? You see, I was mugged in the hallway at Edison High School, right outside Mr Greer's office (the principal) I haven't forgot what that felt like.
Why not make Miller Beach your permanent home instead of your summer place? A quick trip on the South Shore would get you into the city for work.
Come on, put your kids in the system. You'll get a real education.
My wife and I just bought a summer house in the Miller Beach section of Gary. From our condo in Chicago we can make the drive in 40 minutes. The Miller Bakery Cafe is usally filled with Chicagoans and the new baseball park is really nice and fun on a summer evening. Most of the people who post such negative items have never set foot in Gary. Getting lost for 10 minutes off the expressway does not constitute a visit. Go on the LTH Forum which is a forum for Chicagoland food lovers, you would be amazed at the amount of people from Chicago who go to E. Chicago, Hammond, Gary and Whiting to check out local restaurants, delis and other small food shops, they are not scared.
There is a lot to see and do in Gary and many of the other less desirable cities in NW Indiana. When narrow minded, bi-level, cul-de-sac loving people try to discourage others by using fear and hate tactics it is a shame. Go see for yourself and help these cities get back on their feet because they need your help and support.
My experience and opinions of Gary are not based upon getting lost for 10 minutes off the expressway. I grew up in a small town adjacent to Gary, had numerous family members that lived in Gary, my girlfriends and I cruised Broadway many summer nights in the 70's, even headed to Miller Beach in the summer. In the late 80's I took a couple of classes at IU-Northwest, and lived in a different town adjacent to Gary. I regularly went to Whiting, drove through East Chicago, went to Hammond for various things. A lifetime of experience is not "getting lost for 10 minutes." Many of those that posted comments here live, or have lived, in Lake County for many years. Many have those same kinds of experiences with the city. We're far from being "narrow minded, bi-level, cul-de-sac loving people." We don't need to frequent forums for "foodlovers" to get information about restaurants and shops because we know them.
I would suggest the experience of buying a summer home and visiting a cafe, frequented by Chicagoans, is a lot closer to "getting lost for 10 minutes" than the experiences of those that have known Gary for decades.
I graduated from high school in Gary in Indiana in 1988 and haven't returned since. Is it still the old smelly factory town it was then?
Wow, where do I begin? First is that Gary is going to rebound, and sooner then most would suspect. The airport is expanding its runway and some heavy hitters from Chicago and Indiana are quietly planning big things. That will give a huge boost to the area. Trump (whom I personally don't like) has been buying up lots of land on the lakefront and around the airport. He doesn't do anything unless he will make a buck. I personally know developers who have been investing in Gary for years and have done very well for themselves. There is a lot of money to be made and the smart investors have known that for years.
As for the baseball stadium, I am shocked and disappointed to hear people complain that it shouldn't have been built. It was the first good thing built in Gary since the casino. Yeah the cost overruns sucked and I am sure some official skimmed money but the final result is a really nice stadium that is used by everyone. Mayor Daley figured out that if you clean up an area and build a nice park or attraction it transforms the whole neighborhood. I live in Chicago and I have heard more people say they have seen the stadium from the tollroad and ask me if it is as nice as it looks. I tell them it is nice, safe and a cheap alternative to the Sox/Cubs. The fact that people would venture into downtown Gary for anything is a HUGE bonus. It will take time but the ballpark is already changing peoples perception of Gary and that will lead to bigger and better things. You have to start somewhere-baby steps.
The corruption is horrible and has been one of the biggest problems for the city. Scott King tried for many years and was fought every inch of the way. In the beginning he fired councilemen for using drugs on their lunch breaks and they sued the city because they weren't using during working hours. He was called a racist even though his wife is black. It was discovered that for years the city missed millions of dollars in Federal grants because no one in the city government knew how to write a grant asking for the money. It was a comedy of errors and Scott King tried hard to clean it up. But it wore him out.
It was stated "why does Hammond get a Wal-mart" well it is because the Mayor of Hammond has been pushing for reform and putting the casino money to work in the city. The casino is expanding to 3 times its current size, they started a college scholorship program for residents, a Cabela's sporting goods store will open in the fall of '07, all the grade schools have been rebuilt as well as all the streets and sidewalks. They even have a version of the ballpark called Lost Marsh golf course. Many residents are still complaining about the cost overruns or the money could have been better spent. But it is a great course and more then half of players are from Illinois. Last summer I couldn't get a tee time because it was packed with an outing of Chicago doctors. Guess what, they spent a lot of money in Hammond then they go home and say nice things about the golf course, and the city of Hammond. Then after awhile it snowballs into better things and peoples perceptions change. However I think because Hammond is over 70% white it might have an easier time bringing in new businesses.
My wife and I recently purchased a second home in the Miller Beach section of Gary. It is a great escape and most of the homes around us are owned by Chicagoans as 2nd or 3rd homes. Miller is going gang busters and it will eventually spill out into other areas. The fact that Chicagoans are buying property in Gary and bringing friends to visit or just talking about it will only help the area. The Miller Bakery Cafe is still opened and as busy as ever and the new Bakers House is fantastic for scones, quiche and coffee. Two new restaurants are slated to open in the spring.
Gary is a CITY with all the problems that comes with it. Gary will change, it must. But the worst thing for a city is peoples perceptions and rampant bad mouthing. If you look on this forum or any forums on the web and Gary is mentioned, the first thing people type is "stay out" or "it is very dangerous". I would bet you none of those posters have ever set foot in the city. Recently I read a post saying Gary is the murder capital of the United States and extremely dangerous. Yes, that was true like 15 years ago. But when it is posted as fact with other fear inducing paranoia then it just confirms peoples fear and holds the area down. There is crime EVERYWHERE! The fact that if the same robbery occured in Munster and Gary, the Gary robbery would make the newspaper, most likely the front page. The Munster crime, if reported, would be on page 3. The city being majority black has a lot to do with it. I am constantly asked in Chicago if I am scared to drive or live in Miller. It amazes me to think that people feel that Gary residents are hiding in the bushes at the border waiting to attack you when you enter. It is unbelievable. I tell them that everyone is really nice and just trying to work, raise a family and enjoy their lives like everybody else.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Gary,IN
scared
