For years, the Gary Community School Corp. resisted selling its shuttered buildings in its expansive portfolio to charter schools out of concern it could lose students as the charters grew.
The district continued the trend into its state-distressed status in 2017 even though that designation left it exempt from the statewide law calling for the sale of vacant schools to interested charters for $1.
That changed Monday as Steel City Charter School and the school district announced the $250,000 sale of Lincoln and Duncan schools.
Vacant since 2012, the David O. Duncan Elementary, was part of a sale announced Monday by the Gary Community School Corp. It shares a parcel with Lincoln School and its new owners, Steel City Charter School, who said Duncan will be demolished. (Carole Carlson/Post-Tribune)
The former Lincoln Achievement Center, 1988 Polk St., and former David O. Duncan Elementary, 1109 W. 21st Ave., border each other and were sold as one parcel, said Katie Kirley, founder of Steel City Charter.
She said Duncan, which stands north of the now-demolished Delaney Community public housing center, would be also be demolished and Lincoln would become Steel City’s primary campus.
Closed since 2012, high grass and weeds have overtaken the Duncan’s front lawn and the building has seen repeated vandalism with broken windows, graffiti and garbage in the building’s rear. One classroom with broken windows on the school’s south side had a fallen tree inside.
In contrast, Lincoln, which closed in 2019 and is located just north of Duncan, appears well-kept and tidy.
“We’re just really excited for the opportunity for additional land,” said Kirley. She said Lincoln will be renovated with elementary students moving there in 2025. “We need to get the building up to code and inhabitable,” she said.
She said Lincoln is close to Steel City’s current location at 2650 W. 35th Ave. across from a proposed, but controversial waste-to-energy plant. Steel City has been in Gary for eight years, she said.
“We like the idea of getting into a neighborhood,” said Kirley. “It’s exciting to repurpose a building for its intended use. We’ve been really fortunate for this partnership and for the mayor’s office, as well.”
Kirley said Steel City has a K-12 enrollment of about 320 students, but also has a waiting list for its elementary grades.
Acknowledging the district has been reluctant to sell closed schools to charters in the past, district manager Mike Raisor said this sale brings benefits to both sides and to the community.
“Arriving at a decision to sell Lincoln and Duncan took time and consideration because we always want to do what’s best for students and for the school community we serve,” said Raisor.
“Ultimately, we all have the same goal — to serve the children of Gary. This sale also allows us to support Mayor (Eddie) Melton’s goal of reducing the number of abandoned structures in the city.”
Raisor and Steel City Charter began sale talks last year and had nearly consummated a deal in October, but the sale was delayed after school workers found a substantial number of records left behind at Lincoln.
He said the district asked for a delay of the sale while it cleared out the building.
He also praised Steel City to sticking to its original sale plan.
“I applaud Steel City for making a gracious move and paying market value, instead of waiting until July 1 and paying $2. It’s good for district.”
It’s expected the state will release Gary from its distressed status by July 1.
“These funds will allow for improvements to our 10 open schools and create the potential opportunity to demolish another closed structure,” said Raisor.
Many of the closed schools have become neighborhood eyesores and magnets for vandals and scrappers.
“There will also be a cost savings with the District no longer bearing the expenses for utilities, security and other upkeep of the building,” Raisor said.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
