Photo: A postcard depicting the Ambassador Apartments in its prime.
Photo: Bird’s-eye view of the Ambassador Apartments courtesy of Bing Maps. Notice the trees growing out of the brickwork.
Normally these articles begin with a bit of history about the urbex location. This one is a little different…
The seven story Ambassador Apartments building is probably one of the most dangerous urbex locations I have ever been to. When we arrived near the end of a full day of urbex in Gary, I never anticipated that we would traverse the entire building. My feet were incredibly sore, the heat was just enough to be uncomfortable, and I was thirsty as hell. Add open elevator shafts, buckling floors, missing walls, loose masonry and rusty steel jutting out from everywhere, the Ambassador Apartments is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately I was with two other urbexers at the time who took safety quite seriously. We kept a constant watch on each other while making our way through the building. We verbally called out dangers even though they seemed obvious. The Ambassador Apartments are not for those new to urbex.
Photo: The owner of this chair just got up for a minute, but never came back.
The Ambassador Apartments resplendent glory can still be seen if you stare long enough into the shadows. Ornate fireplaces, chairs, doorways, wallpaper and are few and far between in this large apartment building, but they can be found. Information on the building from a variety of internet resources pretty much say the same thing. The building was erected in 1927 to house white collar US Steel managers and was open until 1985. In 1995 the city of Gary considered the building a high priority for rehabilitation. Most of the goals in the Gary Consolidated Plan, however, were never completed. A snippet from Google Books turns up a quote stating that the Ambassador Apartments once housed 125 residents and was one of Gary’s few bomb shelters (Weekly Commercial News: Volume 100 1942).
I feel like I have reached a dead end on researching this location. If you have any more information about the Ambassador Apartments please leave a comment. This is such a fascinating building.
Photo: A Cathedral of the Holy Angels church bulletin from 1984 rests on green carpeting.
Video: A tour through the Ambassador Apartments by slworking2.
Research:
Ambassador Apartments – My Flick Gallery
Chicagoist – Some photos of the Ambassador Apartments
Preserve Indiana – Ambassador and Mahencha Apartments
BBC UK – Video discussing the economic stimulus that includes famous Gary urbex locations.
I’m fascinated by abandoned buildings. I love Opacity. But this place just needs to be demolished ASAP before some kid gets killed. This is one big death trap.
I LIVED IN THE BUILDING FROM 1954-1967. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW E-MAIL ME AND I’LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS….STEVE
Steve,
I was in the Ambassador Apartments today. I am a civil engineer working on the demo of the building. As you can imagine, the building is extremely deteriorated and pretty unsafe, so there was lots I was unable to see. I’d be interested in speaking with you.
Kirsten
Just read in today’s paper about the demo of this building, so I googled and found your site. Thank you for sharing your discoveries with us. You are couragious to go into these old beauties to honor them and help us remember.
My grandparents, Arthur and Lee Milteer lived in the Ambassador Apartments for years. My parents Alfred and Cleo Milteer lived there until 1949. I was 3 and brother Artie was 9 when we moved to Morningside in Glen Park. I have fond memories of the Ambassador because we visited my grandparents frequently in my childhood. They were beautiful apartments. How sad to see how things have changed. Get rid of crime and drugs in Gary and there is a chance for a comeback. Gary was a great city.
Tom — You and Artie and your folks were our upstairs neighbor in Apt. 504 of the Ambassador! We were in #404. We moved there in 1939, when I was entering the 3rd grade, and my folks lived there until the late ’60s. Your dad was my dentist — a real artist. Dentists today are still amazed that the gold inlays he put in 65-70 years ago are as good as new. And in retirement, he carved apples, if I recall correctly. I believe your family and ours (my parents Karl Sr. and Gin & my sister Clara) were the only families in the Ambassador with the older generation living in the same building. Art and Lee lived around the corner from us, in #401, and my mom’s parents, Carl and Ethel Chase, lived in #208, just above the front entrance, where my grandmother could watch the comings and goings of neighbors. I’m 85 now and live near Seattle, and in a couple of weeks, I’ll be going to Florida to help Clara celebrate her 90th birthday. I hope you’re well and enjoying life!