The City of Gary, Indiana, is looking to revitalize its downtown after receiving $15 million through an Indiana grant program.

The city this past Monday announced the Lilly Endowment Inc. Grant, which came through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation's Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) 2.0 program:

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said the money will be used for the City of Gary Blight Elimination and Reinvestment Project, which has three components.

• A public-private project for development in downtown Gary called "Going Vertical."
• A renovation project for the Hudson-Campbell Sport & Fitness Center at 455 Massachusetts St. into office space to consolidate services and drive foot traffic in the downtown area. The fitness center building was designed by acclaimed Black architect Wendell Campbell, the city noted.
• A blight removal project targeting the Holy Angels neighborhood for acquiring and demolishing abandoned structures. This project would also include improving pedestrian infrastructure and creating a new outdoor environment on 4th Place to connect the Gary SouthShore RailCats SteelYard baseball stadium to the former Genesis Convention Center.

"The READI investment in the Gary Blight Elimination Initiative marks a turning point for our city. This effort tackles long-standing challenges while opening the door to new opportunities for revitalization and economic growth," Melton said in a news release. "It reflects our shared regional commitment to not only strengthen Gary, but to build a safer, stronger, and more vibrant Northwest Indiana. We're grateful for this partnership and excited about the lasting impact it will bring to our community."