As he stood outside a newly constructed home on 10th Avenue, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said the structure represented much more.

“This is proof that Gary’s plan and strategy in revitalizing neighborhoods is in the works,” Melton said Friday. “This is more than just a city initiative — this is a collaborative effort with stakeholders and organizations that are extremely important.”

Melton and other officials allowed the public to see progress on the first single-family home to be built in the Aetna neighborhood in decades. The home, located at 5544 E. 10th Ave., will be complete near the end of July.

The development was spearheaded by Frederick Long and Laneé Nicole, local real estate professionals, and developer David Sutor. The Gary Redevelopment Commission opened a Requests for Proposals process in 2024, with the proposal selected during a June 5, 2024, commission meeting, according to a news release.

“Today is a celebration, not just of building homes, but of people, of partnerships, of promise and progress,” Nicole said. “This isn’t just a house — it’s somebody’s home. This isn’t just a community — it’s our community.”

The single-family structure is part of 15 planned homes that will feature ranch-style and two-story options, modern amenities and new construction. All homes will be built on a slab without basements.

Ranch properties will be about 1,400 square feet, starting at about $220,000, and two-story homes will be about 2,000 square feet and start at about $260,000, according to a news release.

The remaining 14 homes are planned to be completed throughout the next couple of years.

Christopher Harris, executive director of redevelopment for the city of Gary, said his goal is to see more than demolition in the city, and seeing the new home Friday gave him hope for the future.

“Think about it: 15 new construction homes in this neighborhood,” Harris said. “It hasn’t happened (in Aetna) in decades. That speaks to the demand, right?”

The construction is part of the city’s initiative to remove blighted structures throughout Gary. In March, the city began its second phase of the Aetna demolition, according to Post-Tribune archives.

Blight elimination is one of Melton’s focuses as mayor. As state senator, Melton created the Senate Bill 434, which established the blighted property demolition fund and allows the city to receive $6 million from the state of Indiana for blight elimination. The city had to match those funds, with half coming from American Rescue Plan Act funds and $3 million from the Hard Rock casino.

On Friday, Melton said his goal was to start demolishing blighted homes in Aetna before moving to the rest of the city. Last year, Gary demolished about 40 blighted structures in the Aetna neighborhood, Melton said.

“We piloted this targeted approach to make a noticeable, meaningful and impactful difference, so residents can see (the change),” he said. “Is it complete? Absolutely not. There’s still a lot of work left to do.”

Melton believes the Aetna neighborhood offers many opportunities to residents and future homeowners. He highlighted its proximity to the South Shore Line’s Miller train station, a Gary Public Transportation Corporation route and major highways, including Interstates 65, 94, 90 and 80.

He also highlighted the proximity to Miller’s Lake Street offerings, the beachfront and Indiana Dunes National Park.

Councilman Myles Tolliver, D-at large, spoke at Friday’s press conference, saying he’s excited about what the development means for Aetna’s future.

Tolliver shared Melton’s sentiments about why Aetna is a prime location for new development.

“Here is the greatest city in Northwest Indiana,” Tolliver said. “It’s time for us to show it. We do that by building infrastructure and what will be homes.”

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com