The days are numbered for the Genesis Convention Center and parking garage, along with the Gordon’s Department Store and annex nearby.
The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority awarded a $2.876 million contract Monday to Chicago-based McDonagh Demolition for the structures.
“We did have an excellent amount of interest,” RDA President and CEO Sherri Ziller said, with 10 bids submitted.
The work is being done as part of the RDA’s Gary blight elimination program.
The Genesis Convention Center, which had fallen into disuse and disrepair, opened in 1981. It has been closed since 2020.
The building hosted many notable events, including the Miss USA pageant in 2001 and 2002, a rally by President Barack Obama, concerts by Prince, Whitney Houston, Ludacris, LL Cool J and many others. It hosted the Gary Steelheads and later the Gary Splash, both semipro basketball teams. The funerals of former mayors Rudy Clay and Richard Hatcher were held there.
On Monday, the RDA also granted an $894,740 contract extension for overseeing the demolitions to make sure they comply with environmental and safety regulations, proper disposal of materials and other issues.
Ziller plans to go to the State Budget Committee on Thursday to ask for a series of payments to which the state is obligated, including $3 million for the Gary blight elimination program.
She’s also seeking the annual payment for the Lake County Convention Center to be built in Gary and the first $3 million toward the new Gary Metro Center, replacing the existing multimodal facility that serves the South Shore Line and Gary Public Transportation Corp.
The committee working on the replacement station is beginning the design process. The state and Gary are each chipping in $3 million a year for 25 years.
The RDA also awarded its first three grants under the new development catalyst grant program.
Ziller said the RDA met with communities and stakeholders before agreeing to the three grants aimed at helping local governments build the tools, plans and frameworks needed for quality economic development and expanding the tax base.
Recipients include:
•The towns of Pines and Beverly Shores, $75,000, for the local share of their U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap grant. The two towns worked together with the RDA to create a transit development district last year that will first work on extending sewer lines from Michigan City to foster economic development that wouldn’t happen otherwise.
•Chesterton, $60,000, for the next phase of a strategic update to the town’s development codes. The zoning code update is part of the town’s new comprehensive plan and will focus on unlocking development and investment potential in the town. It will also allow the town to pursue further funding opportunities that rely on having a current comprehensive plan in place.
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•Lake Station, $75,000, to modernize its comprehensive plan, zoning code and economic development strategy. Like Chesterton, having the new comprehensive plan in place will open doors to grant opportunities.
RDA Economic Development Director AJ Bytnar reported that the transit development district steering committee is discussing the proposed U.S. 12 scenic byway and the implications for the districts that would be along the route.
“We have some projects that we think are bubbling near the surface,” Bytnar said, and expects to bring them to the RDA for consideration this summer.
Ziller said the working group for the scenic byway held its first meeting May 19. The public is “universally positive” toward the concept, she said. The website for the project is us12scenicbyway.com.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.