Almost five years after the body of a Portage woman was found at the vacant Norton Elementary School in Gary, the building is finally being torn down. Adriana Saucedo's family joined school and city leaders Tuesday to mark the start of demolition.
Gary Community School Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Stokes said it was a bittersweet day for former teachers and students. She offered her condolences to Saucedo's family. "I do know how unfortunate it is to have to lose a loved one. I've experienced that myself recently," Stokes said. "But what we want to say is that we hope today brings some closure to you all."
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said he looks forward to partnering with the Gary Community School Corporation to bring future housing or business opportunities to the site. "This will be a benefit to the community," Melton said. "This will be safer for the residents. But it's up to us as a city to continue to maintain and figure out what the future and economic opportunity and growth shall be."
He said working with the school corporation to demolish blighted buildings has been a priority during his first year in office.
Melton also touted blight elimination efforts in the Aetna neighborhood — where construction companies helped demolish more than 40 homes, while the city helped with street sweeping, paving and streetlight repairs. "And by next year, the neighborhood of Aetna and the Miller community will be blight-free," Melton added.
It's expected to take C. Lee Construction another six weeks to fully demolish Norton Elementary School. The cost is $754,000.
