Three finalists from Gary are among the 144 applicants to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Knight Cities Challenge to offer “your best idea to make cities more successful.”
The three ideas from Gary include “Ballpark Plaza,” “Gary Ruins Garden Project” and “In Love In Gary, Indiana.”
If any of the Gary finalists become winners, they will share in up to $5 million in funds for their projects. Winners should be announced in late spring or early summer, said Lilly Weinberg, director for Community Foundations for the Knight Foundations.
The Knight Foundation’s Cities Challenge is in its third year of a three-year $15 million commitment. In 2016, Delta Institute was awarded $385,000 for Steel City Salvage to establish a reuse facility to reclaim building materials from vacant Gary homes before they are demolished. In 2015, Rebuild Foundation was awarded $650,000 for ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen. ArtHouse repurposed a vacant space in downtown Gary for use as a culinary incubator and cafe. It opened in early December.
“Gary has had two winners and actually, both times they were one of the largest grants received out of the applicants,” said Weinberg. “Gary has done really well the past years and I’m excited for these three projects that are moving forward and I think they are really interesting ideas.”
The Legacy Foundation in Merrillville was also happy.
“We are excited to see we have three finalists,” said Kelly Anoe, vice president of the Legacy Foundation, which administers the Knight Foundation in Gary. “We have been fortunate to have finalists and winners selected.”
“Ballpark Plaza” aims to convert a vacant lot located across the street from the U.S. Steel Yard on 5th Avenue east of Broadway into an outdoor entertainment center and farmer’s market. The project was submitted by Brenda Scott-Henry, director of Gary’s Department of Environmental and Green Urbanism Affairs, on behalf of Kenneth A. Parr. Parr died in December.
The “Gary Ruins Garden” would include an amphitheater and open air space for weddings and receptions at the Old City Methodist Church, 577 Washington St. The gothic-style structure was built in 1926 and is now owned by the city. The project was submitted by Redevelopment Deputy Director Jack Eskin.
“In Love in Gary, Indiana,” submitted by Dana Crawford of SmithGroup JJR would establish the city as a creative and cost-effective urban wedding destination to expand economic opportunity in the city and change the city’s narrative, according to a press release.
The annual challenge is designed to spur civic innovation and focus action on what the Knight Foundation believes are the main drivers of success for a city: attracting talent, expanding economic opportunity and civic engagement, said Weinberg.
The finalists were culled from 4,500 applicants representing nonprofits and government organizations, design experts, urban planning organizations and individuals.
The Knight Cities Challenge is open to 26 communities where the Knight brothers once owned newspapers. The Gary Post-Tribune was a Knight newspaper.
Nancy Coltun Webster is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.