Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program and the National Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Association are seeking community input on the next best use for Gary’s historic Theodore Roosevelt High School at a public session hosted April 19 at Gary Area Career Center.

Built in 1930, Theodore Roosevelt High School—more commonly known as Gary Roosevelt—was one of only three high schools in Indiana constructed exclusively for Black students. At its peak, the impressive Colonial Revival structure, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, housed more than 3,000 students, making it one of the largest African American high schools in the Midwest.

Closed in 2019, today the school remains vacant and faces an estimated $20 million in repair costs. In 2023, a coalition including the Gary East Side Community Development Corporation, National Gary Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Association, Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, and other key partners formed to begin exploring feasible reuse strategies for Gary Roosevelt.

In 2024, Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program helped draw national attention to by successfully nominating Roosevelt to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2024 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

Black Onyx Management, a community focused consulting firm, in partnership with the National Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Association, Positive Image Consulting, City of Gary, Gary School Corporation, and Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program will facilitate the session on April 19 to discuss possible uses for the building that will best fit the community’s needs, and preview preliminary design ideas inspired by a previous focus group.

The event is free with registration required. To attend in person, register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reimagine-gary-roosevelt-high-school-brainstorm-session-tickets-1280914211889

To participate online, register at https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/f7a4dd08-0c6b-4c57-a16d-58829a76fc9a@7e206d3b-e202-4425-986a-09b269cb23d4

WHAT: Reimagine Gary Roosevelt High School: Brainstorm Session

WHEN: April 19, 10 a.m. to noon (CDT)

WHERE: Gary Area Career Center, 1800 E 35th Ave, Gary, Ind. 46409

COST: Free with registration required

RSVP: To attend in person, register to attend at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reimagine-gary-roosevelt-high-school-brainstorm-session-tickets-1280914211889

To participate online, register at
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/f7a4dd08-0c6b-4c57-a16d-58829a76fc9a@7e206d3b-e202-4425-986a-09b269cb23d4

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Eunice Trotter, Director, Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, 317-639-4534, etrotter@indianalandmarks.org

Lesley Gordon, consultant, Black Onyx Management, Lesley@blackonyxmanagement.com

Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, strengthens connections to our diverse heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.