After Lori Gonzalez first visited Union Station in 2012, she knew the Gary landmark was a hidden gem.
“When I stepped into the historical abandoned structure, it was like I could see from the remnants that this was really beautiful at one time,” said Gonzalez, vice president of Decay Devils. “(Union Station) just seemed like it needed some attention, and it got neglected because of where it was located.”
Decay Devils, a Gary-based nonprofit, has worked since 2016 to preserve Union Station. The organization plans to raise $2 million to transform the station into a mixed-use community space, with dining and offices, according to Decay Devils’ website.
The project will cost at least $6 million, and the organization has received funding from private donors, grants and tax credits.
The Decay Devils had previously worked with the city of Gary to preserve Union Station and turn it into a data center, said Tyrell Anderson, president of the organization. The deal fell through, and the organization became owners of the train station.
Although Gonzalez said it was upsetting when the deal fell through, she never saw the space as a data center.
“The idea was great, and it gave us the opportunity to restore the building,” she said, “but I had to look at it like, ‘Well, maybe it didn’t work out because it’s supposed to be something else.’”
Decay Devils are still fundraising for the project and haven’t started construction, Anderson said, adding that the architectural study and blueprints for the project are about $600,000.
“Fundraising is the focus,” Anderson said. “We want to make sure that we raise the right funds, and get the right people on the ground level to work on this project, and then we’ll go from there.”
The Union Station project has five fundraising phases: investigation and design; design, construction documents and development planning; roof replacement and stabilization; complete restoration; and site expansion.
Decay Devils’ goal for the first two phases is $533,588, and according to the organization’s website, they’ve raised $175,000.
Since the organization is still in fundraising phases, Anderson is unsure when the project will be completed. If Decay Devils receive all funding by January 2025, Anderson said they won’t see the funds until June or July and start the architectural study in August or September.
In addition to fundraising, the Decay Devils received grants to fund the project. The Legacy Foundation and Calumet Heritage Partnership are two organizations that have worked with the Decay Devils.
Kelly Anoe, president and CEO of the Legacy Foundation, said she first met the Decay Devils in 2016.
“They were just a really energetic group,” Anoe said. “They seemed to have a lot of momentum behind their ideas and wanted to get things done.”
In 2016, the Legacy Foundation provided the group with a grant to help with cleanup and beautification of the Union Station property. The foundation has helped with more grants since then, Anoe said, and they’ve helped with Decay Devils’ fundraising events.
“One of our priorities at the Legacy Foundation is community engagement and civic engagement,” Anoe said. “Seeing a project that really engages the residents and engages the grassroots community is really exciting.”
It was also important for the foundation to be involved because Union Station has so much history, Anoe said. Seeing historic preservation merge with community engagement and a grassroots nonprofit was exciting, she added.
The Calumet Heritage Partnership has helped Decay Devils submit applications for grants and funding, said Gary Johnson, board chair for the organization.
For the Calumet Heritage Partnership, preservation is part of the mission, Johnson said, adding that he has respect for what the Decay Devils aim to do with Union Station.
Preserving historic places helps connect people to the past and serves as an economic driver for tourism, Johnson said.
“If you’re trying to attract residents and businesses, and you have a cool place with a well reserved and respected past, it can end up being an attractive factor for people and businesses,” he added.
Union Station’s proximity to the Indiana Dunes National Park stands out to Johnson. He also appreciates the building’s proximity to the Gary Metro Center, which he thinks will help bring in visitors traveling on the South Shore Line.
Creating a public space like what the Decay Devils aim to do with Union Station is important for Gary, Johnson said.
“People could host events or hold art exhibitions,” he added. “Nothing exists like that in Gary other than at facilities like the Gary library. … I think it would serve as a reminder that this is a very successful project in Gary by not only removing blight by improving this structure, but by also creating something that’s unique, that they can be proud of.”
If Northwest Indiana loses its landmarks, the region will also lose its history, Anderson said.
Once the preservation project is completed, Union Station will help draw people’s eyes to other parts of the region, such as the national park.
“We want to tell our story about the history of the region,” Anderson said. “In our minds, this is a strategic part of preserving the story of the region.”
