City of Gary COMPREHENSIVE PLAN : 2008-2028

Department of Planning & Division of Zoning Rudolph Clay, Mayor December 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

HONORABLE MAYOR RUDOLPH CLAY

DEPUTY MAYOR GERALDINE TOUSANT

GARY COMMON COUNCIL Marilyn Krusas, First District Kyle W. Allen, Sr., At-Large Shirley Stanford, Second District Ragen H. Hatcher, At-Large Mary Brown, Third District Roy Pratt, At-Large Carolyn D. Rogers, Fourth District Kimberly Robinson, Fifth District

GARY PLAN COMMISSION William Cook, President Felix Realeza Slyvester Haywood, Vice President Moses Steele Reverend Charles Emery Alma V. White Mattiee Fitzgerald Bernard Williamson Ragen H. Hatcher

GARY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMISSION Christopher A. Meyers, Chair Jackie Drago-Hunter Scott Upshaw Venus Cobb, Vice-Chair Luci Horton Jeffery Ward Dorreen Carey Caren Jones Jamal Washington Arlene Colvin Daryl Lampkins Latonya Williams James Craig Benjamin Robinson Rinzer Williams III Vanesse Dabney Joel Rodriguez David Wright

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & DIVISION OF ZONING Christopher A. Meyers, Planning Director James Craig, Zoning Administrator

Comp Plan Team BauerLatoza Studio The Lakota Group S.B. Friedman & Co. RQAW

Huff & Huff Blalock & Brown

TABLE OF CONTENTS December 2008

Section 1: Introduction ....………..……………………………….01

Planning Mission Planning Process Planning Organization Plan Purpose

Section 2: The Community…….……………...... 05

Community Context Governance Structure Community History Demographic Profile Land Use Setting Zoning Overview Section 3: Parks & Open Space...... …...... 30

Open Space and Natural Resources Parks Pools Lake County Parks Trails & Greenways Dunes National Lakeshore Programming & Volunteer Efforts

Section 4: Transportation ....……………………………..…….….45

Roadway Network Bus Service Rail Water Air Section 5: Utility / Infrastructure ...………………………….……59

Wastewater Treatment Water Electric Gas Other Utilities

i Gary Comprehensive Plan - 2008-2028 - Gary, Indiana TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 6: Historic & Vacant Properties ...... ………….……….61

Historic Properties: Miller & Downtown City Center Historic District Downtown Scattered Sites South Broadway & Historic Near Historic Sites Vacant Properties Section 7: Environmental………………………………………….73

History Natural Areas: Federally Owned Lands County Parks City Parks Other Properties Wetlands Section 8: Community Facilities ...………………………………79

City School District Library District County Colleges and Universities Other (Community Centers) Section 9: Land Use & Market ...…………………………………85

Commercial Industrial/Business Residential Section 10: Focus Area & Neighborhoods ...... ……….……134

Study Areas: Lakefront Westside Development Downtown Business District Stadium District Miller/Glen Ryan/ Area University Park

ii Gary Comprehensive Plan - 2008-2028 - Gary, Indiana TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 10: Focus Area & Neighborhoods (cont.)

Neighborhoods: Ambridge-Mann (Downtown East) Aetna Miller Westside Central (Midtown) University Park Lakefront/Buffington Harbor Section 11: Opportunities & Constraints...……………...... ….166

Constraints/Issues/Negatives Opportunities/Strengths/Positives

Section 12: Gary in the 21st Century ...... ……………...... …176

Future Vision Goals & Objectives Future Land Use

Section 13: Planning Sub-Areas ...... ……………...... …185

Sub-Area 1: Marquette Park/Miller Neighborhood Sub-Area 2: Aetna Neighborhood/Route 12/20 Corridor Sub-Area 3: Pulaski Neighborhood/Interstate 90/65 Business Park Sub-Area 4: University Park Neighborhood Sub-Area 5: Central/Midtown Neighborhood Sub-Area 6: Downtown Sub-Area 7: Brunswick & Neighborhoods Sub-Area 8: Tolleston Neighborhood Sub-Area 9: Black Oak Neighborhood Sub-Area 10: West Side Neighborhood/Route 912 Business Park Sub-Area 11: Gary/Chicago Airport - Buffington Harbor Lakefront

iii Gary Comprehensive Plan - 2008-2028 - Gary, Indiana TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 14: Implementation...... ……………...... …206

Action Steps Funding Sustainable Development

Appendix A: Past Reports

Appendix B: References

iv Gary Comprehensive Plan - 2008-2028 - Gary, Indiana