Crews will begin demolishing Gary's City Methodist Church on Wednesday, Nov. 4, the city announced Monday.
The Gothic-style church, which closed in 1975, has stood vacant for more than 50 years. It became one of the most photographed ruins in the Midwest, drawing fashion photographers and urban explorers for years, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The teardown is part of a larger downtown demolition effort. The city's multi-site demolition plan pairs the church removal with the planned demolition of the former St. Mary's Mercy Hospital. Both are classified as Phase 2 of a coordinated campaign that also includes the Genesis Convention Center and the former H. Gordon & Sons department store.
The city, the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority and contractor McDonagh Demolition are managing the work. The Melton administration said it is finalizing engineering surveys, environmental assessments and procurement schedules for the Phase 2 demolitions.
The city said engineering and municipal fiscal audits confirmed that adaptive reuse of the buildings was neither viable nor fiscally responsible.
"I don't want our community to only see what is coming down, I want you to see what is coming next," Mayor Eddie Melton said in a statement. "Holding on to unsalvageable buildings has cost our taxpayers millions and stalled our progress."
Once cleared, the block is expected to anchor a redevelopment vision shaped with the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. Across the broader downtown plan, the city and the RDA have outlined goals including a public safety headquarters, 150 residential units with ground-floor retail at 5th and Broadway, and 90 residences at 504 Broadway.
Not everyone views the demolitions with enthusiasm. Lauren Pacheco, a Gary artist and curator who works to preserve the city's historic architecture, told the Sun-Times she has "complicated feelings" about the teardowns.
"I also recognize the need for progress while acknowledging the loss of an important piece of Gary's architectural and cultural history," Pacheco said, as reported by the Sun-Times.
The church demolition follows weeks of preparation. As nwi.com noted on X in October, hopes to save the building's nine-story bell tower had faded, and the entire landmark was set for removal.
Residents can follow updates through the city's website at gary.gov.
