|
The
Indiana Historic Architecture
Home Page
|
Blog
Whiting Community Center Endangered?
Any visitor to Europe will attest to the fact that there are countless
buildings in almost every town and city much older than 100 years
that are well maintained and still in everyday use. In fact,
whole cities there have a marvelous historic character because
of the large number of historic landmarks.
But here's the paradox: in the United States a building that
is just 80 years old is considered "untenable" and
"too expensive to maintain.".
The United States being the world's most prosperous nation,
this is hard to understand. If any country can afford to preserve
its historic heritage, it should be the USA.
But the wealth of the United States may be its undoing. Unfortunately
in this country we have a mentality that "new" is better
than "old." Even If it costs less to maintain a historic
building than it does to build a new one, since we can afford
to build new, we think "Why not?" I suspect this is
often the reason historic structures are torn down to make way
for new ones.
This appears to be the case with the Whiting Community Center.
In 2006, the Maximus Corp., as part of a study of local government,
recommended that the Whiting Community Center be sold. Was this
just a case of noticing an older building and taking the easy
way out in suggesting a way to cut expenses?
In any event, it would be interesting to see a study comparing
the cost of maintaining a historic building verses the cost of
building a new one. I'll bet many people would be surprised if
it found that maintaining a historic building is more cost-effective
than building new. For a new building, contractors and architects
must be hired. Land must be bought up and surveyed. Construction
materials must be purchased and the construction company must
be paid. These expenses come all at once as opposed to the cost
of maintenance which is spread over a longer period.
This is not to mention the intangible benefits that a historic
building adds to the community, the sense of character and uniqueness
it creates in this age of cookie cutter housing and fast-food
restaurants that all look alike.
In the case of the Whiting community center, there is something
that really deserves to be saved. In 2007 a nine-member group
was commissioned by Whiting mayor Joe Stahura to study the center.
Stahura said "The Whiting community center is a huge part
of our history, and we are still brainstorming opportunities
to keep the building viable."
Dedication of the building on Fishrupp and Clark streets,
then called the Whiting Memorial Community House, took place
on Veteran's Day, November 12th 1923. According to an article
in the June 10, 2007 Post-Tribune, it was dedicated by the American
Legion Post 80 in memory of Whiting residents who served during
World War I. The mayor at the time, Walter E. Schrage, asked
that all businesses close their doors on the day of the dedication.
Those in attendance were asked in the dedication program to stand
at 11:00 a.m. "facing the East for 30 seconds in silent
prayer in memory of all World War I dead."
The building represents local history, and especially Whiting
history, in many ways. The building was a gift from John D. Rockefeller
Sr. and John D. Rockefeller Jr. The building cost $450,000 to
construct (in 1923 dollars), funding for which came from the
Rockefeller family and the Standard Oil Co..
The buildings still boasts rich amenities of the type there
no longer found in today's budget conscious architecture--wood-paneled
meeting rooms, a large swimming pool, a bowling alley and 800
seat auditorium are just a few of the amenities.
The center is just as busy today as it was over 80 years ago.
Piano, swimming and crochet classes are given and individual
rooms are available for meetings, special parties, and wedding
receptions.
Thousands of people visit the building every month. Says former
Whiting mayor Joseph Grenchik, "I pray this administration
and future administrations will find the will and means to keep
it going."
Click here to
see out page devoted to the Whiting Community
Center
Historic churches
are not only beautiful: they embody a style of architecture that
is unique and will never again be duplicated. Historic churches
are monuments to our ancestor's faith. They add much to the character
and personality of a community. Few, if any, modern churches
boast the carved stone facades, vaulted ceilings and soaring
stained-glass windows that many historic churches possess.
Unfortunately, several historic churches have
fallen or been slated for demolition in Northwest Indiana in
just the past few years. In Crown Point, First Presbyterian Church,
a landmark for more than 150 years was demolished on June 7,
1999. The city's founder, Solon Robinson, had donated six lots
for the original church, constructed of wood in 1845. The later
church was solidly constructed of brick, but the shell of that
church succumbed to the crane and the wrecking ball. There was
nothing structurally wrong with the building.
"It's hard to see her go, a beloved building,"
said the pastor of the church, who, along with the congregation,
made the decision to demolish the beautiful structure in favor
of a larger one. "She served Crown Point well and she served
her congregation well."
Though the area in which the church was located
was recently named an historic district by the city of Crown
Point, the congregation insisted on keeping the church from inclusion
in the district.
Likewise, the congregation of the 70-year-old
St. Michael's Church in Schererville also plans to demolish its
landmark structure, despite many voices in the community urging
its preservation.
And in East Chicago, St. Mary's Catholic Church
was demolished even though, according to the Post-Tribune,
the congregation didn't have money to build a new one.
Church members often feel their buildings
are above the expectations for preservation that apply to other
landmarks. However, since they already get tax exemption from
the government, one may well ask if they have more, not less,
responsibility to be sensitive to the desires of the community
in which they reside. When a building achieves historic status,
in a sense the building not only belongs to the holder of the
deed, but to the community as a whole.
It is understandable that congregations eventually
outgrow their meeting places. But how much better it would be
for the members of these churches to sell their buildings to
other congregations and to use the money to buy a plot of land
at another location.
As the Bible at Proverbs 22:28 puts it, "Remove
not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."
Old Mill Pizzeria in Merrillville--a
proud landmark?
It was nice to read in the March 18 Post-Tribune
that the owners of Merrillville's Old Mill Pizzeria on 73rd and
Madison are proud of their historic landmark, but either they
or the previous owners have a funny way of showing it.
The pre-Civil War brick structure is one of
Merrillville's oldest buildings. But today the top half of the
building is painted a different color than the bottom half, the
upper-floor windows are boarded up, and the awning that wraps
around the building and its addition gives the appearance of
cutting the building in half. In other words, every attempt seems
to have been made to cover up or hide the building's historic
character.
How much better it would have been if the
owners had left off the awning (which clashes with the building's
architectural style) and used the money they saved to hire a
decorator with some preservation background. He or she could
have advised them on how to remodel the building in an architecturally
appropriate way.
The owners would not have needed to spend
any more money than they already did, and they would have had
a building of which they, and the community, could truly be proud.
Hobart Worries About its Downtown
Signs
Improvements to the Lake George lakefront
spurred a movement a few years ago by the city of Hobart to establish
guidelines for store signs in the downtown business district.
Plan Commission members watched a slide presentation developed
by the National Main Street Center of the National Trust for
Historic Preservation. It covered everything from the maximum
number of words a sign should have--seven--to color schemes,
contrasts, lettering, lighting and the size of the signs.
All this is well and good, but it seems to
us that, right now, there are more pressing concerns for downtown
Hobart than the appearance of its downtown signs.
Hobart is fortunate to have a charming and
unique downtown area. City centers like Hobart's are a rarity
worth preserving in this age of cookie-cutter shopping malls.
Instead of worrying about signs, however,
Hobart should follow Crown Point's lead and attempt to get historic
status for the downtown area. This would provide valuable tax
credits for downtown building owners who refurbish their buildings.
It would also set standards for what is and is not an architecturally
appropriate modification of a historic building.
Already, several buildings in downtown Hobart
have been seriously damaged by misguided "rennovations,"
and others are endangered.
After all, signs can come and go, but when
a building is stripped of its historic fixtures or even demolished,
the damage is forever.
Gary "Crack House" Plan
Just a Bit Confusing
According to a recent news item, local (loco?)
Northwest Indiana officials want to use a million dollars again
next year to tear down all the "crack houses" in the
region, some of them in historic districts.
We must say we're just a bit confused. Were
the buildings themselves dealing crack? Was the substance falling
from the ceilings in the manner of old asbestos? Or were the
people inhabiting the buildings doing the dealing?
If this is the case, how will tearing down
these buildings solve the problem? Will the buildings be demolished
while the dealers are still in them? If so, we can understand
how this would make a significant dent in area crack dealing.
However, if the buildings will be evacuated first, we must confess
confusion.
Perhaps the dealer's legs will be cut off
after the buildings are demolished? This might do the trick,
too. If not, we surely don't see what will keep them from running
like roaches to the building next door, hanging out their shingle,
and continuing business as usual.
Perhaps we're missing something. Then again,
maybe rather than using that $2 million to tear down old buildings,
it should be spent putting up a new building instead. One with
the big, block letters J-A-I-L painted on the front of it.
Here's what Christopher Meyers, former
Preservation Specialist for the City of Gary has to say on this
subject:
I am quite upset with the newspapers and all
their praise for Gritt/Operation Crackdown. I attempted to speak
with the editor of one newspaper about this issue and was simply
told I do not understand the problem and hung up on. I called
back and identified myself. The Editor said he knew of me. I
stated that I do agree that some buildings need to be razed due
to their condition (burned and literally a shell). The editor
was still pushing his opinion like I was supposed to say "yes
it is a good thing to tear down all housing that is vacant and
classified as 'drug infested.'"
I explained to him the waiting lists for affordable,
low-income housing, the environmental factors, mothballing, and
the ease of rehab. He said he did not care and again pushed his
story, describing the "hell" the family on Greene has
been undergoing with gang members parking their cars all over
the place and hanging out in a vacant building next door. I replied
with the question "What will happen with the house on Greene
Street after its elderly inhabitants leave Gary or pass on?"
I stated that this is the underlying problem
for Gary; its population continues to decrease and that no one
is taking up residency in the vacant architectural stock. I again
stated if a building was mothballed correctly no one would be
able to enter the building. I stated that the city has a community
development program, gives tons of funding to the CDC's, and
that the primary interest in the city and its advancement has
to begin at home with the municipal government.
The city still has no preservation code, no
concise development plans, and no modern zoning ordinance which
would help "stressed" neighborhoods. Additionally I
brought to his attention other cities where one industry was
the major economic powerhouse. I asked if he was familiar with
Detroit and the large number of homes/neighborhoods that were
razed. In specific sections of Detroit, it feels as if one is
in a urban prairie...grass growing, weeds, nature returning with
hints of man's past here..... wasted infrastructure such as streets
and lighting.
As I ended my conversation with the editor,
I said that I was not calling to argue; rather to point out some
facts that I hoped he would see the next time he entered a vacant
building.
My points are logical avenues for a solution
to this problem.....not ones based upon political rhetoric, gut
emotionalism, or simple, candy coated fast fixes. The architecture
of Gary belongs to everyone and by superseding federal historic
preservation programs (such as Section 106), Pete Visclosky,
Scott King, and the FBI are indeed setting back the safety umbrellas
that were created for review. No review of the demolition has
been made; therefore no adverse affects will be logged as occurring.
I do question why I waste my time here in
Indiana instead of going to other areas where preservation is
not consider an "infringement" or where it is not so
infantile, misunderstood, or twisted in principle. But there
is a need to educate here.
From the Post-Tribune
Gary takes steps toward saving a Frank Lloyd
Wright home--and an important part of its history
Not many cities can claim two Frank Lloyd
Wright-designed homes, but Gary can. And it looks like Gary will
be able to retain this high honor, thanks to former Gary preservation
consultant Christopher
Meyers and the Indiana
Historic Landmarks Foundation.
Wright, one of America's most famed architects,
designed the
home at 600 Fillmore St. around 1916 for Wilbur and Etta
Wynant. Wilbur Wynant was president of Gary National Life Insurance
Co. and the Gary National Association.
The home has been vacant for years. Neglect
has taken its toll, and the only future left for the home for
a time appeared to be demolition. It was sold at a tax auction
to a Wisconsin man who hoped to restore the home. But he wasn't
able to raise the more than $200,000 needed to restore it to
pristine condition.
Now the Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation
has announced it will purchase the building. The foundation plans
to stabilize the foundation, erect a temporary roof and dry out
and clean the interior before finding a buyer committed to completely
restoring it.
Were the home to fall, it would have been
a loss for Gary and for the nation. Wright-designed homes are
rare treasures. Like other historic buildings, they not only
link us to the past, but show the younger generation that just
because a building is old doesn't mean it can't be both useful
and beautiful. Far too often homes and buildings of historic
significance are torn down to make way for new projects, or simply
because they've been ignored.
Todd Zeiger, northern regional coordinator
for the Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation, credited Christopher
Meyers of Crown Point with helping to bring the home to the foundation's
attention. "he found it and did the research on it,"
said Zeiger.
If the Fillmore Street home is fully restored,
it can become a major attraction for Gary. Wright homes in other
Midwestern cities have become tourist attractions and regular
stops for architecture buffs.
Sara-Ann Briggs, executive Director of Chicago's
Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservatory, said the next step
is to have the neighborhood, which is devoted to other Prarie-style
homes, declared a National Historic District so it can tap into
federal and state funding.
"In Gary, there is a great need for revitalization,"
said Meyers. "Gary has a great potential. The Frank Lloyd
Wright structure is just the tip of the iceberg."
Oct 1997:
Part
of Historic downtown Gary burns
It probably shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. The
city of Gary has long been called "The fire capital of Northwest
Indiana." However, the sheer scope of the loss is breathtaking.
The historic Memorial Auditorium, which many people had hopes
and dreams of someday restoring is three-quarters destroyed and
several important storefront structures are a total loss.
If this fire is found to be an arson (and this looks probable),
Gary is not alone; a fire several years ago that burned down
a major historic department store in Valparaiso was found to
be an arson, leaving a hole in the downtown area (and in Valparaiso's
self-image).
Two of the fire-ravaged structures may still have a chance
of being saved: part of the Memorial
Auditorium and the City
Methodist Church, a combination church, auditorium and commercial
building.
The city of Gary is to be commended for contracting an engineer
to study the buildings and determine their stability. In addition,
the city will fence off the buildings and hire a private security
guard to protect them, giving time to preservationists and city
oficials to explore options.
If there is any lesson to be learned from this disaster, it
is that the kind of neglect that downtown Gary has endured can
go on for only so long. Many important structures remain, but
if steps are not taken to rehabilitate them quickly, they, too,
will soon be gone forever.
Lost or damaged:
700 block of Broadway:
- Two abandoned two-story brick commercial storefronts, each
about 50 feet by 150 feet; completely gutted, roof collapsed.
600 block of Broadway:
- Radigan Building, an abandoned four-story brick department
store about 50 feet by 150 feet; completely gutted, roof collapsed.
- Goldblatt's Department Store, an abandoned four-story brick
building about 150 feet by 150 feet, with attached five-story
150-foot by 150-foot brick and concrete building in rear; completely
gutted, roof collapsed.
- Next building south of Goldblatt's, a two-story abandoned
50-foot by 150-foot storefront, heavily damaged, gutted.
700 block of Massachusetts:
- Memorial Auditorium, a four-story brick auditorium-style
building 500 feet by 150 feet; heavily gutted, partially collapsed.
578 Broadway
- Gary Housing Authority Senior Citizens building known as
Genesis Towers.
Damage to materials on roof of 10-story building; 124 residents
evacuated. Most returned by 5:30 a.m. Monday. Four taken to Methodist
Hospital in Gary for treatment of minor smoke inhalation.
575 Washington St.
- Methodist Church,
an abandoned three-story brick auditorium-style building, 150
feet by 200 feet; heavily damaged, roof partially collapsed.
(This info is from the Northwest Indiana Times)
Downtown Gary, Ind.
Local newspapers reported that Gary mayor Scott L. King was
focusing his attention on revitalizing the downtown area of Gary,
Indiana's third-largest city. This is good news to hear. And
it is still not an impossible dream.
Already, the downtown area was showing some signs of hope.
The "mini-mall" at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway
seems to be doing well, as does a similar enterprise nearby.
In addition, a small shopping plaza has recently been built on
Broadway near the downtown area.
Still, a few years ago, one would have laughed off talk of
revitalizing downtown Gary. A victim of steel mill layoffs and
severe segregation, the historic downtown area became a veritable
ghost town in the late 1970's, with perhaps no more than 10%
of its storefronts occupied.
Why then, is there reason for hope? One word: Casinos. The
new gambling meccas that have opened in the Buffington Harbor
area of Gary are expected to pump several million dollars a year
into the city in tax revenues. If some of this money is put into
providing tax breaks, renovation credits and other incentives
to local businesses, it could breathe new life into the district.
Perhaps the city could concentrate on revitalizing one block
of the downtown area at a time, starting with the block bounded
by Fifth Avenue and gradually working its way south.
Downtown Gary still has several things going for it; plenty
of parking space, easy highway access and (still) lots of historic
architecture. Additional benefit could be gained by naming the
area a historic district. This would provide important tax credits
for renovation. A Miller architect has already done all the necessary
paperwork to gain historic status.
Even in today's mall-oriented society, downtowns have continuing
relevance. Most importantly, the downtown area is usually the
economic center of a community. When the downtown is not doing
well, the economy, image and self-esteem of the whole community
suffers.
For this reason, we hope downtown revitalization is put at
the top of Gary's agenda.
One unfortunate note: There were plans negotiated by
the previous Gary mayor,Thomas Barnes, to convert the historic
Union Station on 3rd and Broadway into a shopping mall using
casino revenues. This could be an excellent anchor for downtown
revitalization. In addition, there could be a free hourly bus
or South Shore service from the casino site to the renovated
station to draw some of the people who will be coming into Gary
into the retail area. Unfortunately, Mayor Scott King wants to
rescind this agreement. We hope Mayor King rethinks his position.
View photos
of two major buildings of downtown Gary, the City Methodist Church
and the Genesis Tower retirement building, formerly Hotel Gary.
Enterprise Zones--What Happened?
Once again we heard Vice President Al Gore endorse "empowerment
zones" in his speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The empowerment zones concept is similar to the enterprise zones
enacted in the past.
We remember that concept, but we rarely hear mention of it
anymore, and, unfortunately, we didn't notice that it made that
much of a difference, at least not in the Northwest Indiana region.
The idea behind the zones--giving tax credits to those businesses
who locate in economically distressed areas--is in theory a good
one. A merchant takes a risk in locating in a poorer area because
the local populace has less spending money and risks of crime
are greater. In addition, it is hard for small merchants to compete
pricewise with bigger stores.
This is why enterprise zones seem like a good idea--they give
incentives to those who are willing to take the biggest risks
by giving them tax breaks that will help them compete with those
who are taking smaller risks (by locating in stronger retail
areas).
If the enterprise zone idea has failed, maybe it's because
the tax breaks given to the risk-takers were not great enough,
or the qualifications for receiving credits were not strict enough.
Most importantly, perhaps not enough commitment was made to the
enterprise zone concept itself.
It is extremely depressing to see one retail area in a region
booming (and with it, sprawl, smog and congestion), while other
historic retail districts just a few miles distant are withering
and dying. We understand this is happening in many parts of our
great nation, and we believe it is contributing to the tragic
fragmenting and segregating of our country.
Is there reason to believe that empowerment zones will be
more successful than previous initiatives? We truly hope the
answer is yes, but, unfortunately, the concept seems to be one
that both Republicans and Democrats mainly talk about around
election time.
Union Station at a Crossroads
A classic building that bolstered the dreams of a vibrant
downtown is two-thirds vacant and ready to be closed down unless
the city finds a buyer.
INDIANAPOLIS - It reopened 11 years ago as a festival marketplace,
full of restaurants and shops that lured people back downtown
from the suburbs. Crowds spilling out of the neighboring Hoosier
Dome would pack nightspots that sprang up all around. These days,
the crowds go in a different direction - a couple of blocks away,
to the shiny new Circle Centre mall and its upscale stores, trendy
cafes and cinema multiplex. The century-old, red-brick terminal
is costing the city a $100,000 monthly operating deficit. It
also needs $2.7 million in repairs to its roof and other exteriors.
Union Station was built in 1887-88. At its heyday at the turn
of the century, more than 200 trains passed through each day,
and Indianapolis came to be known as "the crossroads of
America. "That building and site are so important to the
history and background of the community. Architecturally, it's
one of the finest examples of the Romanesque revival architectural
style in the Midwest," said Reid Williamson, president of
the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.
Most of the train traffic to Union Station had stopped by
the early 1970s, when the city acquired the structure. But a
redevelopment plan took shape: The city anted up $2.5 million,
the federal government $14.8 million, and local banks put up
$29.5 million in loans. Private developers invested $4 million
of their own money.
At first, it worked. In the first year, 8 million people visited
the renovated station to eat at restaurants like Rick's Cafe
American, drink at Locomotions or shop at the Brass Pig or the
Peanut King. But the success didn't last. The opening of Circle
Centre in 1995 was the last nail in the coffin; in 1996, only
2.7 million people visited the station.
Are there lessons to be learned from this story? Perhaps.
In this ultra-competitive, "survival of the newest"
society in which we live, preservation may not stand a chance
unless more generous preservation tax credits are enacted to
save those urban assets that, like Union Station, help make our
cities so unique.
Hammond's Downtown Area Must Go?
There is talk of leveling a part of downtown Hammond. This
is supposed to "make the area more attractive" to developers
of modern strip malls.
Not only is this assumption questionable, (and it ignores
the fact that there are already businesses located in the areas
in question), but there are some people in Northwest Indiana
who feel that, for the most part, our historic downtown areas
are worthy of preserving intact.
Many of the buildings of downtown Hammond (and Gary, for that
matter) are architecturally interesting and, for the most part,
structurally sound. There is no doubt that the downtowns of Northwest
Indiana are important historic sites and should be preserved
to the greatest extent possible.
This is not just a sentimental gesture. Think what Crown Point
would lack today had it followed the advice of city planners
in the early 70's and torn down its historic courthouse.
We all like to shop at nice stores, but few people will point
with pride to the architecture of most modern shopping centers.
Historic architecture is one city asset that the suburbs just
can't lay claim to, and so should be played up, not torn down.
Saving such buildings is no mere pipe dream. Downtown areas
in other parts of the country have been revived without wholesale
demolition or other drastic action. New enterprise zone legislation
and other initiatives are in the works that will greatly increase
the feasibility of restoring health to our downtown areas.
Promoting commerce and wooing businesses is a good idea, but
in our rush to do so, let us be careful not to risk destroying
a part of Northwest Indiana that is forever irreplaceable.
Back to Main page | Site Store
[ Home | Images
of Indiana Architecture | Endangered
| Editorials | Site
Store ]
[10 Simple ways you can help promote
Historic Preservation! ]
|
