The Gary Heat, Light & Water Building was home to the utility company along Madison Avenue in Gary, Indiana.
The Gary Heat, Light & Water Building was one of the original buildings United States Steel commissioned when it and its subsidiary, the Gary Land Company, constructed Gary as a company town in the early 20th century. 3 It was the last building designed by architect George Washington Maher before he took his own life. Crafted in the Prairie School architectural style, it was heavily ornamented with pilaster columns, dentil molding, and lantern light fixtures outside and terrazzo floors, and a semi-elliptical staircase inside. 3 4
Construction wrapped up in 1926. 4 The building served as office and warehouse space for the utility company.
The structure was later reused as the city’s Client Service Center in the 1980s, 2 which then became the General Services Center. 1 The structure was vacated in the 1990s. 3
The city declared the Gary Heat, Light & Water Building blighted in 2012 and sought funds to demolish it as it did not have any money set aside for renovations. 3
Share
Sources
- Notice to Bidders. The Times [Munister], 31 Mar. 2008, p. D3. Advertisement.
- “Entry Level Job Training Opportunities Now Available.” The Times [Munister], 27 Aug 1989, p. D2. Advertisement.
- Pete, Joseph S. “Gary Heat, Light & Water Building one of 10 most endangered.” The Times [Munister], 8 Mar. 2014.
- “The History.” Heat Light Water Project. Article.
