Renee Brown stood outside her house in Gary’s Aetna neighborhood Monday morning watching the demolition crew gathered on her street. It was a chilly, sunny morning, and Brown was in good spirits. This was the day she’d been waiting for since moving into her home nearly eight years ago.
“I’m so happy they’re tearing down these houses,” said Brown, 60. “There’s so much going on around here, and I’m glad they’re doing this.”
Renee and her husband, Cedric Brown, joined the crowd of neighbors, reporters, and demolition workers staring down the abandoned home next to her house. They watched as one worker used an excavator to tear down chunks of the home, kicking off demolition in one fell swoop. Onlookers cheered as the machine went to work. Up close, spectators could still see clothes left behind hanging in an otherwise empty closet in the abandoned home.
Monday’s demolition marked the beginning of a new “neighborhood stabilization effort,” spearheaded by Mayor Eddie Melton’s administration, focused on parts of the city suffering from high concentrations of blight.
“I’m excited; this is an example of the neighborhood stabilization projects that we’re looking to do throughout the city,” Melton told Capital B Gary. “It’s not just in Aetna, but we wanted to address the blight. We wanted to show a clean slate for folks who are looking to redevelop.”
The idea is to target one neighborhood at a time, demolishing blighted properties as a precursor to revitalizing and reinvesting in the areas.
“It’s not just about demolishing, but it’s also about building up,” Melton told Capital B Gary.
The city is partnering with the Lake County Highway Department and volunteer crews from various construction companies, including Rieth-Riley Construction, Hasse Construction, C. Lee Construction Services, Actin Inc., R & D Construction, Dyer Construction, and Superior Construction.
The house demolished Monday was one of dozens the city plans to tear down in Aetna.
The Browns, living mere yards away from the now-demolished home, have had a front-row seat to the impact of neighborhood blight. The vacant homes are not just an eyesore for those passing through but a safety concern for those who live right by it every day.
“So much goes on at that house over there,” Brown said, pointing across the street to another to-be-demolished home. Brown and her husband said that they once saw a person running out of the home early one morning and were so alarmed that they called the police.
“It’s about time, it’s going to be a happier, safer place,” Cedric said. “Nicer homes hopefully come with good neighbors in the neighborhood.”
Gary Director of Redevelopment Chris Harris said the city initially targeted 85 Aetna homes for demolition. But they reduced that number to 35 homes after some homeowners reclaimed their vacant properties and promised to fix them.
While the city plans to work with people who are working to remodel their homes and rehabilitate the community, Harris says there is still a timeline they need to stick to.
“If they don’t see major progress of the home being renovated in its entirety by the third quarter of this year, it is still up for demolition next year,” Harris said.
Real estate agents Fred Long and Lynae Hollingsworth were watching the demolition crews work in Aetna on Monday, along with one of their investors. They hope that the initiative will spark investment and new business ventures.
“It’s important to have the right resources in the community, and homes like this were an eyesore,” said Long, a Crown Point resident. “They bring property [values] down, but this makes it possible for more construction and newer quality homes. It’s good for business.”
Looking ahead, Melton told Capital B Gary that the city is considering targeting the Emerson area next for the neighborhood stabilization initiative after Aetna. “It has some of the same similar issues, but a unique opportunity with the train station,” he said.
The demolition crews in Aetna are slated to continue tearing down abandoned buildings in the neighborhood throughout the week. Renee Brown said she and her husband will be cheering them on.
“Yes, knock it down!” she said. “Yes, yes, yes!”