REO Town Cogeneration Plant Breaks Ground

[RustTown]

The REO Town cogeneration plant (natural gas) broke ground, recently. As has become the tradition of the Lansing Board of Water and Light, they've made sure that the structure is architecturally interesting.

Breaking Ground

by Andy Balaskovitz {sodEmoji.|} Lansing City Pulse

May 25, 2011

...

“This is not your typical public utility,” Lark said. “We are putting down roots in the 21st century. And we’re putting them down in REO Town.”

The $182 million project — the same cost as the former Ottawa Power Station renovation, Lark noted — is projected to cut BWL’s coal use by 139,000 tons a year, its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent and add 1,000 jobs.

...

The final design of the eight-story, 160,000-square-foot natural gas plant finished up Friday, Nixon said.

“There’s lots of arched windows and glass, especially parts facing South Washington. We’re trying to make somewhat of an architectural statement in the community,” he said.

Nixon said construction is scheduled to last into late 2012. “Everything should be operational in early- to mid-2013,” he added.

BWL anticipates 180 employees will work at the new facility and construction will create about 1,000 jobs.

...

[RustTown]

August 14

REO Town Cogeneration Plant by NewCityOne, on Flickr

REO Town Cogernation by NewCityOne, on Flickr

[RustTown]

The REO Town Cogeneration Plant and headquarters for the Lansing Board of Water and Light was completed a few months back.  It included the complete restoration of the old Lansing Grand Trunk Western Railroad depot, which will be used as conference space for the public utility as well as a meeting space for the surrounding Riverpoint neighborhood.

 

REO Town Cogeneration Plant & LBWL Headquarters by NewCityOne, on Flickr

 

DSCI2782 by lugnut215, on Flickr

 

Lansing, MI train station by kla4067, on Flickr

 

The plant allows for the nearby coal-fired Eckert Station to finally be decommissioned, and gives the BWL moder modern and attractive accomodation.