University Park East

In January 2015, the City of Gary, Legacy Foundation, and Gary Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) were awarded a Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives (CNI) planning grant for the development of a comprehensive revitalization plan for the University Park-East (UP-East) neighborhood, including Colonial Gardens 1 and 2. Colonial Gardens 1 and 2 comprise 78-units of scattered-site public housing owned and managed by the Gary Housing Authority (GHA) located in the neighborhood.

CNI is a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that supports the development of community-driven, results-oriented transformation plans for distressed neighborhoods. With a $500,000 CNI planning grant leveraged with additional public and private dollars and in kind resources, the City and its partners engaged in a two-year long planning effort to develop a “Blueprint for Change” for UP-East. The Blueprint for Change includes strategies and action steps that will result in sustainable and meaningful investments in UP-East to help it become a vibrant and thriving community.

Client: City of Gary

Location: Gary, IN

Year: 2017