Lazy Sunday Lansing - June 1, 2008

[Lmichigan 5]

The photos are in chronological order, and as you can tell, then, I retraced my steps a few times.

The slow construction of the Michigan State Police Headquarters as seen from the Kalamazoo Street Bridge.

The Kerr House (built in 1855), part of the Printers Row development in the Cherry Hill neighborhood of Lansing. It seems that they are still not finished with it. lol It's been under renovation for what, two years now?

Back to the Triangle Lot after that detour showing the site looking from the north.

At the very bottom of the property lies the Grand River. Here, there is a newly constructed CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) unit at the Kalamazoo Street bridge which prevents the spills of raw sewage into the river during heavy rains. The project began in 1992 and will last until 2020. It includes a complete overhaul of the sewer system in the older part of the city, much of which is over 100 years old.

Looking north up the river from underneath the Kalamazoo Street Bridge. There are plan to eventually construct a river trail on this bank of the river, as well.

Back north and east the Stadium District is now completed, for the most part. Much of the residential units are filled, with the groundfloor retail still being finished up.

CONTINUE BELOW TO PART DOS

The new CSO (again) project mascot who Lansing citizens voted to name "Swish." lol

Back towards the center of downtown is the Michigan State Capitol

The relatively new Capitol View Office Building lies to the south of the Capitol Square, a good mix of old and new.

At the end of the Capitol Complex lies the Michigan Hall of Justice home of the Michigan Supreme Court. Too bad the walkway cuts through parking lots instead of something urban or at least park space. Someday...

Michigan Vietnam Memorial outside the Hall of Justice.

Looking back towards of center of downtown from the steps of the Hall of Justice.

CONTINUE BELOW TO PART TRES

Northwest of the Capitol along Ionia Street stand two historic storefronts that seem out of place given the overwhelming residential characteristic of this neighborhood. 513 and 515 West Ionia were both built in 1927. One contains Belen's Flowers, and the other is now empty.

(behind Belen's your can see the Michigan Capitol Complex a block to the south)

Continuing eastward you get this view from the Ionia Street hill.

Going down the hill you run into the St. Mary Cathedral complex, the cathedral church for the Lansing Diocese, a large 11-county area that takes in much of south central Michigan as well as Metro Flint and Metro Ann Arbor. Pictured below is the Diocesan Center for the cathedral, a meeting hall, that lies directly behind the cathedral church.

Traveling all the way back towards the river I took some photos along Grand Avenue that's currently torn up for the sewer seperation work. Here's a cityscape scene looking back into the downtown core from Grand and Allegan.

ONE LAST PART

[Lmichigan 5]

Looking north up Grand you see the historic (long since reclad) Grandview Office building in black glass, and the future home of the Accident Fund Insurance Company at the Lansing Board of Water and Light Ottawa Street Station sans chimney.

The Grand Tower and the old City Club and Goodrich Building soon to be demolished for the 18-story Capitol Club Tower. The Grand Tower is getting some company...

The South Grand Parking Structure, which will be rebuilt and reclad for use by the residents and visitors the Capitol Club Tower directly to the south.

The back of the Atrium Office Centre, once the Strand Theater.

Lastly, the back of the Stadium District from Cedar....

...and the front from Cedar.

[tSlater 106]

Nice photos. I had not realised how much whiter the dome on the capitol was until I was operating pedicabs last Saturday and saw it from Grand in the Stadium District a little before sunset. Now I can't see a photo without notising it. Not that it's a bad thing, I love that contrast.

Also, I was wondering if that Atrium office was once a theatre, now I know.

[Lmichigan 5]

Yes, the dome is painted white. It's exactly the same sandstone that the actually building is made of. For most of its earlier years it wasn't painted, at all. I like the contrast. It makes it different from most capitol buildings.