GARY — Nearly two dozen vacant schools have become magnets for vandals as Gary officials mull the buildings' future.
Gary's plight stems from a loss of nearly 16,000 students since 1990, combined with declining ISTEP scores, aging buildings and budget problems that have hindered efforts to convert the buildings to new uses.
Many of the buildings have boarded-up windows and crumbling awnings and playgrounds, and vandals have sprayed graffiti and broken in to the buildings. The school district is paying for police patrols to help secure the sites, but residents say the police presence isn't enough and are worried about neighborhood decline.
"There's got to be something that can be done," said Deborah Gates, who lives a block from a school that closed in 2004. "There are families who want to be here or who have to be here, and they would like to see good things happen around here.
"Our neighborhood is just changing so drastically and not for good."
Virgil Lincoln, director of buildings, grounds and maintenance, says break-ins occur almost daily. The district is considering changing its policy of shutting off utilities in vacant buildings in an effort to deter vandals, even though it will drive up costs.
"We're working on keeping the lights on in most of the buildings because when you turn them off it's almost like the cockroaches descend," he said.
The district also pays to have the schools' lawns mowed several times a year.
The Gary School Board plans to decide whether to retain the buildings or sell them by the end of the year.
So far, efforts to find new uses for some of the buildings have fallen short because of structural problems or budget constraints. At least eight of the buildings have been labeled inadequate, and budget issues prevented transformations of at least two others.
School Board President Kenneth Stalling said the district will seek community input before making a final decision.
"We have several proposals, and we're not just giving buildings away," Stalling said. "We want to see how these buildings tie to the future of education and the city of Gary."
Gates, the school neighbor, hopes the city finds a solution.
"Before the school closed, it was much better; we had a functioning block club," Gates said. "Since the school closed, the block club has kind of closed completely. Most families with children have moved out, and some tenants live here for a few months and just move out. There's no sense of permanence."
She said she volunteered at another school last year that has since closed.
"They don't take care of the playground, so there's no place for the kids to play anymore. It's kind of depressing to look at."
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