what's the latest on Gary? Haven't been back in years (Crown Point: transplants, rental)

[MariGirl]

Originally Posted by j33

The town is still in pretty rough shape. But I've been to a minor league baseball game at the Steelyard, and that is a lovely stadium, and the employees were very friendly, much nicer than the guys that work at the stadiums in Chicago (yeah, I'm talking about you, you lousy hotdog vendor at the Sox game), anyway, it is a shame that the city is in such rough shape (well most of it except for the Miller neighborhood). I heard that in its heyday it was a really nice place.

It did used to be a nice place. Back in the mid 1960's (before many on this forum were born!) when I was about 8 years old or so, I used to occasionally ride the bus down Broadway from our neighborhood in Glen Park to meet my mom at her job in downtown Gary and go shopping. Couldn't even begin to imagine 1) letting a young child ride a bus alone anywhere in the country these days and 2) wanting to go to downtown Gary now.
Have lived out of state for years now, but was back in the area recently and drove through the old Glen Park neighborhood. What was once a lovely tree lined street with neat houses, front porches, a place where everyone knew everyone, is now a boarded-up, scary looking dump. Depressing!

[bernie]

I have read alot of these threads and I am sad to say that the negative fears about Gary are still being passed along. Sure Gary has its problems, but what city doesn't? There has been a lot accomplished in Gary in the last few years. The people who are victims of crime are usually out there doing crime. Having lived on the Eastside and Glen Park I can say I have had some wonderful neighbors who are hard working and caring about our neighborhood. The majority of the people in Gary are of African American decent is this what is making you scared? I see white people in Gary everyday and night, but they are not getting MURDERED! The joblessness and education issues need to be adressed seriously. Most people feel safe in Gary beceause it is a sanctuary, where you don't have to worry about being stopped while driving Black or because your vehicle is too nice. Just in case you have not noticed there is new housing developments going up all over the city, the casinos are making tons of money, the airport just got skyvalue airlines and is flying to many sunny destinations and there is pro baseball and basketball here. What is needed is the diversification of the city at whatever costs it takes, because an all one race society isn't what America stands for.

[MariGirl]

Bernie, my description of the old neighborhood as "scary" had nothing to do with race, and I apologize if it appeared that way as that was not my intent. The fact is that I saw no people out and about at all, and that, along with the neglect and desolate appearance is what was scary looking and sad to me....especially compared to how lively an area I remember it being.
Ironically, ours was among the last white family to move from the neighborhood in the 80's. My parents were angered by the "white flight" that had been going on in Glen Park for years. They felt it was fueled by a combination of corruption, realtor greed and fear/ignorance. They always said, "Never fear people just because of their skin color..give everyone a chance." They lived by this, befriending ALL their neighbors. What finally made them leave though were the following events that occured within a year's time and 2 miles distance:
1) friend was raped and murdered in her home by strangers
2) elderly couple attacked in their home by strangers; man nearly beaten to death, woman raped and beaten
3) their home robbed and trashed - fortunately they were away at the time

These events stressed them out so much that they had to move for health reasons. At this point all neighbors, regardless of their skin color, were also fearful.
Gary is making strides to undo the negative rep that still persists from that era. You are right, it will take people of all races and socio-economic groups to turn things around. The city is headed in the right direction and I hope it is successful.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by bernie

I have read alot of these threads and I am sad to say that the negative fears about Gary are still being passed along.

That's because it's still by and large a nasty place and still one of the most dangerous cities in the country.

Sure Gary has its problems, but what city doesn't?

Only a select few cities have problems of the magnitude Gary has them.

There has been a lot accomplished in Gary in the last few years.

And it's still a mostly nasty place. A patient that goes from critical to serious condition is still in serious condition. And so it goes with Gary.

The majority of the people in Gary are of African American decent is this what is making you scared?

No, it's the obscene crime rate that makes people scared.

I see white people in Gary everyday and night, but they are not getting MURDERED!

Well criminy, since it's only the colored folks getting murdered, and with astonishing efficiency no less, what's everyone so worried about? Gary is perfectly safe for us folks of pallor and who cares about the rest?

Good God, what an incredible thing to say. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but that's what it sounds like from here.

The joblessness and education issues need to be adressed seriously. Most people feel safe in Gary beceause it is a sanctuary, where you don't have to worry about being stopped while driving Black or because your vehicle is too nice. Just in case you have not noticed there is new housing developments going up all over the city, the casinos are making tons of money, the airport just got skyvalue airlines and is flying to many sunny destinations and there is pro baseball and basketball here. What is needed is the diversification of the city at whatever costs it takes, because an all one race society isn't what America stands for.

A pro basketball team does not make a city safe. A pro baseball team does not make a city safe. A casino certainly does not make a city safe. In fact one of the things that has drawn these places to Gary is that the land is so cheap that the city can basically give it away. New housing developments can't mask the fact that Gary is still depopulating. People who feel safe don't usually continue to flee their city.

I'll admit I've only talked to a handful of people from Gary. Of those who intend to stay, here are the reasons they gave: no means to get out, or their means will only allow them to move somewhere that is only marginally better; it is where they grew up and, for all its warts, they have a sentimental attachment to the city; it is where all their family lives and they want to stay close by; and because of a sense of civic responsibility to stay and be part of the solution rather than run from the problems. I have not heard one person stay because they felt safe there. I'd be interested to hear from other actual Gary dwellers to hear if this is one reason why they stay.

So to answer the OP's question: the good news is that there have been some positive changes in Gary. The bad news is that there was, and still is, such enormous room for improvement that the positive changes have only put a dent in the problems and Gary is still basically a hellhole. But it is a slightly nicer hellhole and seems to be getting better inch by inch.

[CHICAGOLAND92]

"After many years at the top of the list, Gary was rated the tenth most dangerous city in the United States according to Morgan Quitno's 2006 analysis of crime rates. While hardly enviable, this is indicative of the progress Gary has made in reducing crime since the 1990s"

So although the progress is not HUGE, Gary IS improving. Many old buildings are being demolished and redeveloped as well.

[jek6]

Originally Posted by jeweloflight

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?

Well, I've just returned from Gary. I grew up there, but left in the early 70s to attend college. Family left there about 10 years later. So, this was my first trip back in at least 15 years. Over the years, I'd heard how the city had declined, but seeing is believing. I'd also heard about how the Merrillville and Miller communities have grown, the gaming industry (casinos) have discovered this lakefront area, etc. Even though my visit was for a funeral, I did get a chance to see some of the town while I was there (shortly before Christmas). And, some areas are realllllllllllllllly bad - burned out, abandoned, overgrown with weeds, etc. On the other hand, I drove through some parts of Gary that have newly constructed homes - reallllllllllllllllly nice ($300K-plus) ones. That whole US30 strip/Southlake Mall area is booming! Every store...every restaurant you could think of. So very different from when I grew up there - it had a solid 'middle class' - when the steel mills were still booming. So, obviously, there are some folks that think Gary is still worth investing in. And, current residents told me that now is the time to snatch up any property you can. Remember - it's near Lake Michigan and close to Chicago. And, if Donald Trump thought it was good enough to invest in.. Don't know what the political climate is like now....

[quadcities]

I'm told it just keeps getting worse, which doesn't seem possible.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by quadcities

I'm told it just keeps getting worse, which doesn't seem possible.

By the looks of things, Gary hit bottom about 10 years ago and is ever-so-slowly clawing its way back up.

[ShepDeandre]

I am an actual resident in Gary, IN. I am 20 years old, and I live on 21st and Delaware. When I was younger I stayed on 5th & Hayes until I was 10, moved to East Chicago, IN for seven years, then moved back here when I was 16. East Chicago is tame compared with Gary. Below is my opinion about what I see about this city.

I remember back in 1995 when things were really bad and dangerous. Black gang members were getting shot and killed in, out, and all around my building. That very spot where the USS Steel Yard was built used to be a crack and dope neighborhood. Scott King could do very little, as he tried to fight the gangs with police force. Nothing was accomplished because the gangs were shooting the police, they were scared to do anything until the State and the Feds stepped in and formed G.R.I.T. years later!

It's even worse now than it was back then, because drugs kill a lot more people now than gang wars and retaliation.

You have to look in between the lines. Back in the late 60's early 70's it was a race issue, and the departure of white owned business to cities outside of Gary hurt the city beyond help. In 10 years most of the citites predominate figures were gone, so was money, jobs, and a chance to fix economic problems.

Speaking generaly, what was supposed to happen when you leave a city to mostly half educated black folks who just were overcoming racial injustice? Nobody really wanted a black mayor in the first place, and when Gary annexed Glenn Park, the "white flight" began. The end result is what you all see today. Older Blacks in Gary hold a lot of hostility towards older whites living in Hobart, Merrillville when it comes to that issue. There was crime,murder, drugs and corruption in Gary before Hatcher was elected.
The schools were on the decline anyway. But it was still a good place to live when ALL were involved. No one was talking about it being so bad then like they are doing now, and the ones doing the talking don't even know why that is. They just look at us and say we are no good, stupid, and criminal living in a "hellhole" that everybody in this region created some 30 years ago.
Thank you, I guess. That's real motivational. You'll get a Nobel Peace Prize for being ignorant. I don't feel safe in any city around here to be honest. Racial tension, job situations, power and sterotypes run Northwest Indiana and Lake County as a whole!

Yes now-a-days the culture in Gary is influenced by a lot of negatives. Yes Gary has made a little progress, and I agree with Drover's quote :

"...the good news is that there have been some positive changes in Gary. The bad news is that there was, and still is, such enormous room for improvement that the positive changes have only put a dent in the problems...".

Open your minds up. It's more to the story than just what you see. If you don't want to know the whole truth, then don't speak about it.

[moose]

I live in the Miller area and it's not all that!!!!! In Miller there is another area called Aetna that place is a dump. And over there at the beach we have to pay to get in even if it is just to see the sunset. Just this past summer my husband and I were taking our son, nephew and nieces to the beach to enjoy the weather . Were walking on the beach and my son says " hey, it smells like someone is burning the trees." I look around and there are "ADULTS" on the beach smoking drugs. So we went to take the kids to the park that's on the beach the jungle gym smelled like urine and there were condom wrappers and beer bottles. But when you call the city no one can tell you anything. And get this Just 20 min. ago I went to go get some gas. There was a drug addict next to the door and she asked me for money. I didn't reply thinking she would go away. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! After I pump my gas I was getting in the car, I looked up and there she was!!! If I would have closed my door I would have smashed her head in it. I could make my own brewery as much alcohol I smelled on her. I yelled, "get away from my truck!!!" I didn't say it that nice. I can't wait to find a better place to go. If ...only if .... this place would be wonderful!