Indiana Dunes National Park removing unwanted structures

PORTER, Ind. (AP) - Crews at the Indiana Dunes National Park have made considerable progress removing unwanted houses and structures acquired in the 1990s for habitat restoration efforts, a park official says.

A contractor has been working to remove 17 houses, a barn, an in-ground pool and six roads since September to restore those sites to natural habitat, park spokesman Bruce Rowe told The (Northwest Indiana) Times.

Most of the houses are in a Gary subdivision and were acquired by the National Park Service in the 1990s. The former owners were given long-term leases, and with those leases expiring, the houses are being removed and the sites restored to natural habitat.

When vacant structures are removed, crews also take out outbuildings, driveways and septic tanks, while making other improvements, Rowe said.

The current round of demolitions is scheduled to be completed by April. After that, only a handful of structures will be left, he said.