Gary looks to turn abandoned church into tourist site

GARY, Ind. – Gary officials are looking to turn a longtime symbol of the city’s blight into a tourist attraction.

The city’s Redevelopment Commission is considering bids for structural engineering and architectural work to transform the dilapidated City Methodist Church into a large ruins garden.

The Gothic-style church was built in the 1920s but closed in 1975 after years of declining membership. Most of its roof has collapsed, leaving the building a frequent site for visitors exploring and photographing urban decay.

City planning director Joseph Van Dyk tells The (Northwest Indiana) Times that the City Church Ruins Garden project aims to create a unique attraction with areas safe for organized events.

The city has received a $163,000 private grant toward the project, but doesn’t yet know how much the work will cost.

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Information from: The Times, http://www.nwitimes.com