Former Gary high school among America’s ‘Most Endangered’
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The Theodore Roosevelt High School building in Gary is included in this year’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Places from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The school, built in 1930, closed in 2019 after extreme cold weather caused pipes to burst, leading to serious water damage.
Indiana Landmarks included the building in its own 10 Most Endangered list in 2020 and 2021. The building is part of the National Register of Historic Places, and the Gary Community School Corp. has previously sought a new owner to help revitalize and repurpose the facility.
Officials in Gary gathered at the school on Wednesday to recognize the designation from the National Trust’s list, which aims to raise awareness about “the threats facing some of the nation’s greatest treasures.”
“Shining a national spotlight on the importance of Gary Roosevelt and its significance gives us hope for its future,” Eunice Trotter, director of Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Program, which nominated Gary Roosevelt for the list, said in a news release. “This wouldn’t have happened without the dedicated leadership of many, many people who believe this important landmark still has a vital role to play.”
Gary Roosevelt was one of just three high schools in Indiana built exclusively for Black students, and at one point housed more than 3,000 students.
Since its closure, a group of supporters has worked to save the landmark from further disrepair. The estimated cost to repair the building is $20 million.
Indiana Landmarks said the National Gary Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Association, along with the Gary East Side Community Development Corp. and Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program, are exploring potential reuse strategies for the building.
“We are interested in being involved in whatever happens to the building,” Judith Mead, president of the National Gary Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Association, told Inside INdiana Business in 2020. “We stand ready to assist them and mainly be some part of the decision making.”
Indiana Landmarks said the alumni association, along with the Gary East Side Community Development Corp. and Indiana Landmarks, are exploring potential reuse strategies for the building.
“The building was still a functioning school just five years ago, so by taking incremental steps, restoring and adapting the property is an entirely attainable goal,” National Trust for Historic Preservation CEO Carol Quillen said. “We stand behind the many incredible advocates determined to preserve the iconic property and adapt it for uses that serve the surrounding community.”