Century-old City Methodist Church in Gary slated for demolition

GARY, Ind. - A century-old church in Gary is slated for demolition despite years of work trying to save the structure.

City Methodist Church, known for its Gothic Revival architecture, closed more than 50 years ago and has since fallen into severe disrepair.

City Methodist Church set for demolition

The backstory:

At one time, City Methodist Church was the largest Methodist church in the Midwest and a symbol of Gary's booming steel era.

Construction began in 1925, with U.S. Steel providing significant financial support for the project — about $400,000 or half the total cost. 

The church's story also reflects Gary's complicated racial history. While it offered programs to Black residents and immigrants, the congregation itself remained segregated.

The church closed in 1975 and has sat vacant ever since. 

Over the years, several efforts have been made to give the building a second life. Despite fundraising efforts, those plans never came to fruition. 

"They have been trying for years to save the building, to reintegrate it into a ruins park, or to save part of the structure, but the cost alone was just not something that was feasible for the city," said Blake Swihart, director of Indiana Landmarks - Northwest Field Office. "The church really does right now present a safety hazard. At times, there are pieces falling off. It just isn't safe also for people to try to get in there. They've blocked it off for those reasons. So, I would expect probably in the next year, if not before, for the building to start coming down."

What's next:

It will cost more than $5 million to demolish the church. A contractor has been chosen, and the process is expected to begin in the coming months.