RDA Welcomes $15 Million Investment in Downtown Gary Revitalization

A $15 million award — part of the first round of Lilly Endowment-funded READI grants — will power efforts to transform downtown Gary through blight elimination, redevelopment, and community investment.

On Wednesday, the IEDC board of directors approved $15 million to bolster the RDA’s redevelopment efforts in and around the Gary Metro Transit Development District. The award builds on $12 million already committed by the City of Gary and the RDA, bringing total local/state investment in downtown Gary blight elimination to $27 million over the past 19 months.

“Our team has worked closely with IEDC and the City of Gary over the past several months to secure this award,” said Sherri Ziller, President and CEO of the RDA. “This additional funding will allow us to clean up more properties and, even more importantly, provide incentives for new development.”

The grant will advance three initiatives outlined in Mayor Eddie Melton’s Greater Gary Community Revitalization Effort:

• $5 million for renovations at the Hudson & Campbell Center adjacent to Gary City Hall
• $5 million for blight elimination and redevelopment in the Holy Angels neighborhood
• $5 million for redevelopment within the Transit Development District.

“This $15 million commitment from the IEDC is a powerful endorsement of the vision we have for a revitalized downtown Gary. It’s an investment in the future of our city, directly fueling the goals of the Greater Gary Community Revitalization Effort. Not only will this accelerate our critical blight elimination work, but it will also enable the transformation of the Hudson & Campbell Center and unlock significant redevelopment opportunities in areas like the Holy Angels neighborhood and our Transit Development District. We are building momentum, and this funding is key to turning our plans into reality for our residents” stated Mayor Eddie D. Melton.

“Leadership at both the state and local levels are signaling to the private sector that it is time to take notice,” said AJ Bytnar, RDA Director of Economic Development. “This infusion of capital coupled with the investments in the NICTD South Shore Line, blight elimination, and Metro Center redevelopment are foundational catalysts towards the revitalization of downtown Gary.”

Governor Mike Braun said the funding reflects a broader, statewide strategy: “These Lilly Endowment investments are not just cleaning up blight — they’re opening doors to new housing, jobs, and opportunities that will keep more Hoosiers living and thriving here at home. We’re building on what works: region-owned growth, supported by the state, to create lasting impact for every corner of Indiana.”

Secretary of Commerce David Adams added, “These project awards show what happens when regions lead, the state supports, and people are the plan. The result is stronger communities and renewed opportunity for Hoosiers.”

The Gary grant is expected to support $126.5 million in total investment in the city’s downtown. Statewide, the 17 grants announced Wednesday total $131 million in awards, projected to unlock more than $1.6 billion in investment.