Requiem for Northwest Indiana, Part 1 (Gary–Miller)

For those not aware, the South Shore Line is currently undertaking a major project to double track the line from Gary to Michigan City (currently mostly a single track) and make a number of other improvements to the line, including improving access and parking to stations, making most stations accessible to passengers with disabilities, increasing speeds, and other things. However, as is often the case with major public works projects, there are property impacts. Specifically, buildings near the Miller station (in Miller Beach, Gary), Portage/Ogden Dunes station, and all along 10th and 11th Streets in Michigan City need to be demolished to allow for the construction.

I have been undertaking a major project to catalog the construction, and as part of that I have been photographing as many buildings as I can before and after demolition. New construction hasn’t started yet, but demolition is mostly complete, giving a strange intermediate state with a lot of empty land full of what once was. This is a grim reminder of that progress always comes at a cost.

I thus present the Requiem for Northwest Indiana. This is part 1, specifically focused on the area around the Miller station.

For this photo set, I took the train out to Miller and arrived just before noon. This was my first time traveling out there in the snow (and thanks to the snow last week there was quite a lot). I got off the train at a snowy station:

Miller headhouse and platform on a snowy day — Miller station in the snow

And now, I present the buildings that were lost.

Warehouse

The largest structure demolished as part of this process was a warehouse. This barn had been seized by eminent domain before I photographed it and judging by the condition was probably already abandoned well before then.

The demolition was still in progress, but most of the walls had been demolished by this point.

Partially demolished warehouse at 5701 US-12 on February 6, 2022 — Warehouse during demolition from the north

Barn

There was a barn nearby that also had been slated for demolition. I have no idea what the barn was used for or who owned it. I also imagine this had been abandoned for quite a while before I photographed it.

Demolished empty lot at 5501 US-12 on February 6, 2022 — Empty lot after demolition from the north (the fence is no longer there either)

Roxxy’s

Roxxy’s was a bar along the Dunes Highway. According to Google Maps it celebrated its 75th birthday relatively recently (the picture was uploaded in April 2019). I actually had to submit an update to Google to explain that the business was now gone (for my “proof” I gave one of the pictures below).

Demolished empty lot at 5705 US-12 (formerly Roxxy's) on February 6, 2022 — Same view of Roxxy’s after demolition

M&M Beauty Supply

Just south of Roxxy’s was the M&M Beauty Supply. According to Google Maps, they have a few other locations in/around Gary. The building itself was demolished, but the sign remained, at least for the time being. As I did with Roxxy’s, I had to submit an update to Google Maps explaining that this location no longer existed.

In this case, I was able to pretty closely mirror the viewpoints of the “before” pictures (I did not have the pictures with me when doing this photo set).

Demolished empty lot at 5704 US-20 (formerly M&M Beauty Supply) on February 6, 2022 — M&M Beauty Supply lot after demolition

Demolished empty lot at 5702 US-20 (formerly M&M Beauty Supply) on February 6, 2022 — M&M Beauty Supply lot after demolition

Garage

At about 5811 US-12, there was some sort of garage building that also looked like it had been abandoned well before I got there. I do not know what used to be there, unfortunately.

Condemned building at 5811 US-12 on September 11, 2021 — Garage at 5811 US-12 from the north before demolition

Demolished empty lot at 5811 US-12 — Empty lot where the garage used to stand from the north

Porky’s Pit

Next to the garage was Porky’s Pit, a barbecue place which also appeared to be abandoned before I started my “before” pictures.

Demolished empty lot at 5813 US-12 (formerly Porky's Pit) on February 6, 2022 — Empty lot where Porky’s Pit used to stand after demolition from the north

Empty Lots West of Lake Street

Next to Porky’s were two empty lots that were still empty before I started. They were overgrown at the time but it looks like they’ve been cleared.

Demolished empty lots at 5825-27 US-12 on September 11, 2021 — Empty lots west of Lake Street from the north before land clearing

Demolished empty lot at 5825 US-12 on February 6, 2022 — Empty lots west of Lake Street from the north after land clearing

With all of this, demolition in Miller Beach is mostly complete. New construction will start soon, and it will be interesting to see what develops. However we cannot lost sight of what was lost in the process.

In March or April (once all this snow melts), I’ll continue this project in photographing all the demolished buildings in Michigan City.