The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is awarding this year's “Cities Challenge” grant in the city of Gary to a project that will transform a historic, abandoned Gothic-style church into a beautiful ruins garden and event space.
The Foundation is sending more than $163,000 to the city Redevelopment Department to go toward the City Methodist Church project. It fits in with one of the goals of the Cities Challenge competition: to make cities like Gary more vibrant places in which to live and to work and, in this case, attract more visitors and business to Gary.
Redevelopment and Planning Director Joe Van Dyk and the project's manager, Assistant Director of Planning Sarah Kobetis, came on "Regionally Speaking" on Monday to talk in more detail about the project being supported by the Knight Foundation.
Ben Clement, the creator of a Website dedicated to the old downtown church, listened to the conversation and he offers his views on the project.
