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SOUTH BEND, IN — Building on the momentum of the recently unveiled "Vision and Action Plan" for Downtown Gary, Mayor Eddie Melton joined regional executives and academic leaders today at the University of Notre Dame for their 3rd Annual 100-Mile Coalition Summit.
Mayor Melton’s participation in this summit marks a significant step forward in the ongoing partnership between the City of Gary and the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative. This collaboration, which produced a comprehensive roadmap for Gary’s downtown core, is now being highlighted as a model for urban regeneration across Northern Indiana.
Mayoral Panel Participants:
"Our partnership with the University of Notre Dame is not just about a report on a shelf; it’s about active, boots-on-the-ground transformation," said Mayor Eddie Melton. "Being here today allows us to align Gary’s specific ‘Vision and Action Plan’ with the broader goals of the 100-Mile Coalition. We are moving from the planning stages directly into implementation, reestablishing a culture of building that honors our history while securing our financial future."
Christopher Harris, Executive Director of Redevelopment, provided a "Gary Spotlight" presentation last year. He detailed the four-stage regeneration strategy – Analysis, Design Charrettes, Follow-up, and Implementation – that was developed in tandem with Notre Dame faculty and Gary residents.
The partnership focuses on key "Stage 4" objectives, including:
"The work we are doing in Gary draws from and provides knowledge to this entire regional coalition," said Marianne Cusato, Director of the Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. "Mayor Melton’s leadership in this space ensures the vision we’ve created together will become a reality which will benefit the residents of Gary now and for generations to come."
Mayor Melton’s attendance at the summit reaffirms the City’s commitment to using world-class architectural expertise to drive local economic growth. By participating in the 100-Mile Coalition, the City of Gary continues to position itself as a central hub for talent, investment, and sustainable urban design in the Midwest.
For more information on the Downtown Gary Vision and Action Plan, please visit www.gary.gov.
About the City of Gary
The City of Gary is committed to revitalization, economic growth, and improving the quality of life for all residents. Under the leadership of Mayor Eddie Melton, the city is focused on strengthening neighborhoods, enhancing public safety, and driving sustainable development.
About the Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative
The University of Notre Dame School of Architecture’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative is a “Think-and-Do Tank” that provides assistance to municipalities and nonprofit organizations to improveeconomic development by reimagining the built environment. Our work targets immediate local impact as well as national and global influence through three interrelated activities: actionable projects, research, andeducation. Faculty, students, and collaborating professional teams carry out these activities under the leadership of the school’s dean, Stefanos Polyzoides, and the initiative’s director, Marianne Cusato. The work carried out under the Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative is grounded in the principles of New Traditional Architecture and New Urbanism. Central to this initiative is the belief that, as stewards of our built environment, we must seek to facilitate a robust social infrastructure and create a better world for future generations by developing and promoting beautiful, enduring buildings within human-scale, walkable communities.
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