Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch joins Bernie DelGiorno and others at the Casa del Libri ribbon-cutting event. (Photo provided, Economic Development Corporation Michigan City)
Bernie DelGiorno discusses the Tiffany-style stained glass window at the Casa del Libri ribbon-cutting event. (Photo provided, Economic Development Corporation Michigan City)
In Michigan City’s Elston Grove Historic Neighborhood, the city’s original public library is now home to apartments. Made from Indiana limestone, the building first opened in October 1897 as the city’s library and later housed an art center for a time. After a three-year renovation, a news release says the structure at 8th and Spring streets has been transformed into a five-unit luxury apartment building that highlights its roots. A ribbon-cutting was held in December 2024. “Reviving the former library into livable space truly bridges the past and the future as we honor our city’s foundation with new housing options,” said Economic Development Corporation Michigan City Executive Director Clarence Hulse. “Casa del Libri or ‘house of books’ encompasses a celebration of history along with a modern vibe for luxury apartment living,” Hulse added. The building includes a 12-foot-high Tiffany-style-stained glass window depicting the Shakespearean figures Rosalind, Portia and Ophelia, a news release said. “I think the biggest impact of the project is the fact that the library was opened to the public in 1897 as a pillar in the rich history of Michigan City. It has sat effectively vacant since the art center moved out decades ago,” said Bernie DelGiorno, who led renovation efforts. “By transforming the property into residential apartments, it revitalizes a once-forgotten work of art that can now be enjoyed by full-time Michigan City residents.”
