48 replies to this topic

[statedude3]

http://freep.com/app...NESS06/71008019

This came right out of the blue, at least as far as any developments I had been following.  Great news to see that there will finally be street life in that area.

[Lmichigan]

Here is a much more in-depth read of the potentional redevelopment.  It sure did come out of the blue, and there are still many questions to be answered.

Link

Insurer sets sights on Ottawa Power Station

Accident Fund plans new $182 million headquarters for BWL property

October 9, 2007

Jeremy W. Steele
Lansing State Journal

One of downtown Lansing's largest private-sector employers plans to take on a troubled landmark, converting it to a new headquarters in a $182 million development deal.

Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America could move its 650 downtown workers into the idled riverfront Ottawa Power Station and a planned 120,000-square-foot adjacent building as early as January 2011. The company plans to add another 500 workers over the next 10 to 15 years.

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a few photos to go with it...

mine




Mario.Q

Edited by Lmichigan, 09 October 2007 - 03:40 PM.

[statedude3]

Seems like an odd building to select for redevelopment for office use.  Although there is no denying that the prominent figure of the building is sure to draw attention to any company signage.

I wish they would keep the smokestack though...that is a very prominent figure on the Lansing skyline.  Seems like there could be a classy way to incorporate signage or something for it.


An interesting article about the potential for spurred development.  It seems to me like there are still a lot of question marks here, and that perhaps the scope of the project is being a little embellished.
http://lansingstatej...EWS03/710090367

Edited by statedude3, 09 October 2007 - 03:54 PM.

[Lmichigan]

It appears that the landmark stack will be coming down possibly before Christmas, which means in the next few days...

City landmark coming down

[GRDadof3]

I love this old power plant (having grown up in Lansing).  Any renderings come out yet as to what the added building will look like?  Site plans?  $182 Million is a lot of dough!

[sabatoa]

The only images I've seen are from the City Pulse:




And also Hood's Google Earth sketchup:

[Lmichigan]

Yeah, nothing has been released pubiclly, yet.  The only things released have been simply massings with no detail.  The only thing that we can tell is that the addition will be built in such a way as to not challenge the height of the station.

[statedude3]

I did not notice when driving by on 496 the past couple days...is the smokestack gone yet?  It's going to look really strange not seeing that anymore.  It's not the most attractive piece of our skyline, but it is an irreplaceable landmark.

[hood]

Yup, they took down the last of it on Christmas Eve Day.

[Eridony]

Please say someone took pictures of the stack being taken down.

[Lmichigan]

Ask, and you shall recieve:

December 20-21







Christmas Day







(The part of the garage you see in the foreground will be demolished!)












(the pieces of the steel stack that are to be recycled)


BTW, a nice comparison of a picture I took back in the fall and one a few days ago...





And, here are the two buildings to be brought down for the new office addition that will be connected to the newly redeveloped station:



The neon letters on the station should be coming down soon, as well.

[dunveth]

Anything significant about the Grand Bldg. that we should mourn its demise?

[Lmichigan]

Well, besides the fact that it was built in 1911, probably not.  I wonder, though, if the facade was taken off and a new one added, or if the current facade overhangs the historic facade?  I'd imagine the latter from seeing it up close.  It looks a lot like the Arbaugh "modernization" where the new facade was nothing more than a curtainwall built over the historic facade.  Oh, and the current usage is as an apartment building, office building, and warehouse, a very strange mix for a building.

Oh, and the building pictured just to the north of it was the old HQ's for the Lansing Board of Water and Light quite some time ago.  The city also has it being built in 1911, so the Grand Building may actually have been part of it, too.  They stopped using the building when they move their operation to Haco Street on the eastside back in the early 90's I think it was.  It's been empty ever since save for LCC plastering the windows with advertisments for events on campus. lol

Edited by Lmichigan, 29 December 2007 - 02:26 PM.

[Eridony]

Lmichigan, on Dec 27 2007, 03:10 PM, said:

Ask, and you shall recieve:

Well if that's all it takes I should ask more often then!

I know I'm a little late responding, and I think I already thanked you for these pictures on Develop Metro Lansing, but thanks again for the pictures.

[GRDadof3]

Great pictures LMich!  It's bizarre without the smoke stack there anymore.  Any pics from further out?

[Eridony]

Well no one has posted any pictures of the station without its sign so I guess I will. Not that it makes much difference, you can still read what the sign said.

[hood]

An update on the Ottawa Power Plant project: Redevelopment proposal would retain look of Ottawa Power Station

Edited by hood, 02 July 2008 - 09:33 AM.

[Lmichigan]

Video:

Animated Rendering of New Accident Fund Building

Renderings:

Photo Gallery of Renderings









I wish this forum would allow linking to newspaper images.

[Eridony]

Wow, I like it but what impresses me most is the quality of the video. Not only did the render the building but they had the rest of the neighborhood as well. I really like how it ends with the night scene.

[Eridony]

Unfortunately while watching that cool video I see a link to this article: Suit could threaten Accident Fund project