14 replies to this topic

[Lmichigan]

It was just a great day to take some photos, and the sun (as you all know) doesn't hurt.  

Here's where I started, on a huge and sprawling surface parking lot in the westside of downtown Lansing.  They should really bury this or consolidate it into a garage:


Starting off with the typical over-the-parking-lot view of Constitution Hall.


A peak into part of the CBD


Zoom


Looking down Washtenaw towards the Grand Tower in the background on the Grand River.


The back of Constitution Hall


Mason Building and Capitol Dome


Mason Building (in capitol complex) with Allegan Street under total reconstruction as part of the massive Capitol Loop project.


Looking west at the edge of downtown and the Capitol Complex lies the Michigan Hall of Justice


Capitol Loop reconstruction along Allegan Street




M-DOT Building


Lewis Cass Building to the south


Towers on Allegan Street


Michigan Capitol


Capitol View Building closeup


Capitol Commons Centre (and office/residential complex) in the southwest of downtown


Lastly, a lonely view of Kalamazoo Street looking east towards the river


Yep, it was a lazy Easter Sunday, all right...

[bobliocatt]

Interesting range of architecture.  I agree you about that those larger surface lots.  Do you think they'll be developed whenever the state needs to expand its offices.

[Lmichigan]

Yeah, some empty lots have already been developed.  The Hall of Justice sits on what was a surface lot.

[wolverine]

Nice pics LMich!

EDIT:  I really like the Lewis Cass Building also.  Do you know who designed it?

Edited by wolverine, 28 March 2005 - 01:12 AM.

[VeeFan]

Nice pictures. How old is Constitution Hall? It looks like it's fairly new.

How's Boji coming along?

[Allan]

Nice photos, LMich!  Those surface lots are gigantic...fortunately it will only be a matter of time before they are built on.  

I really need to make it over to Lansing someday.  I've lived in Michigan my whole life and have only been to Lansing twice!

[Lmichigan]

Thanks, Allan.

VeeFan, the Boji Complex (now and officially Capitol View Building) is topped out with all of the work left on the inside.  The restaurant is supposed to open in the early summer, and they are still tracking down retail tenants for the ground floor.  The office space, though, is 100% leased.

Wolverine, I'm not exactly sure, but here is what was listed on the national register of historic places:

Bowd,Edwyn Albert, Wood,William P., Construction Co.

[VeeFan]

I thought the Capitol View Building looked really familiar, and I thought it was Boji...guess I was correct to think that.

Good to hear that it'll start opening up by the summer.

[dnast]

Very nice. I've always like the Lewis Cass building. And that shot of the capitol would've been great without the construction in the foreground.

I have to make it back down to Lansing, too.

[Lmichigan]

Funny, I like photos with something else interesting in the picture.  Maybe it's because I see that shot of the Capitol so much that the construction adds a little extra something, like it did on this pic:

[dnast]

Now that one, I like! In this one the contruction seems more like part of the focus as opposed to the pic of the capitol where it's seems more like an obstruction. It looks like there should be an article or something to go with this last shot with the "Boji" (I'm too used to the name now).

[wolverine]

The new Boji Complex is kind of boring, but it has grown on me a bit.  At least the parking garage blends well with the rest of the building.

[Lmichigan]

Actually, I hate that it blends with the rest of the building.  Especially considering how ugly the office building is.  It would have been perfect (especially so close to the Capitol) if it would have been brick and glass.  And, since the City of Lansing owns it and helped build it, I was hoping they would have hired a different architect.

It's just so sad that the garage is almost as tall as the office building, and nearly three times the size.  The only good thing is that this replaced a surface lot only having to tear down one historic building on the corner of the block-long lot.

[hood]

I hate to dig up old forums, but I have to. Lmich, I thought I heard you mention before that you have talked to the Boji's before, any idea what happened to Capitol View, what happened to the light yellow coloring, light blue mirror glass and penthouse under that 4-pitch roof. It would have at least looked decent if built like in the concept drawing.

[Lmichigan]

They simply didn't build the concept and streamlined everything.  Everything was scaled back.

They did build the crown on top, though, to be easily dismantled, and said they can extend the building by 1 floors, and the parking deck can fit 2 floors (which I hear rumors that they may add residential which wouldn't make much since to me).  Also, that's the reason the mechanical penthouse/elevator room is so tall on top of the building.