I'd love to see something done that maintains the smoke stacks and repurposes that building, but I sadly don't think any developer would be interested. Architecturally, the only interesting part is the original plant that has been built over throughout the years and didnt include those 1980s smoke stacks. The cost of maintaining something like that would be costly. It's a whole lot of space that would be hard to fill and have little demand in a weird location.
Like I said, I'd love to see something done with it when it goes off line, but I just think it would be a long shot.
That's a truly impressive project, I remember hearing about some years ago and it's nice to see it come to fruition. That being said I don't think the Eckert plant makes a good site for residential or even office space. Due to the isolated site I think it makes more sense as a destination type project, the city has talked about an entertainment complex in vague terms.
I continue to be a fan of converting it into a resort style indoor waterpark, with other entertainment options of course. I've had this SketchUp model on my computer for years without ever making much progress on it, still it shows the (very) general idea: The older short section nearer the river preserved and restored with the taller portion of the plant carved into hotel space on the upper floors with a winter garden-like glassed in indoor waterpark wrapping around the smokestacks:
I could see a recreation facility, how about a glass elevator to the top of the stacks, maybe some sort of restaurant and observation deck in the sky up there! The site is not that isolated, there is a two-lane bridge, and I could see GM perhaps allowing public traffic on the street that leads around to the west side of the plant if there were to be housing, or offices there. One thing I would not like to see is the whole building stand there vacant with all the electric rigging and water-cooling and stack collection towers left to fall apart.
My discussions with an Electrical Engineer in power distribution ensured that it will be razed if it's not reused in some fashion. Guessing it's too much of a liability to let something like that sit vacant.
When it's decommissioned, something will definitely happen with it...one direction or another.
I'd though it was used minimally to some extent but it does look like it sat with no functions for a decade or so. Maybe it wasn't such a liability in a downtown setting or maybe they had plans for functions, like the cooling towers, and kept it for those reasons? I'd be curious why that one survived, I'd like to think it's attractive architecture was part of it.
Eckert is tricky for demo though also since it's not in an empty field somewhere like many coal plants. Same would have been true for Ottawa. Simply imploding seems like it would be tricky.
All I know is the individuals I've spoken to that worked in power distribution or were execs at power companies agree it would likely be razed. Maybe that's the newer approach to the decomissioned plants, raze and decontaminate the sites.
All that aside, the practicality of redeveloping it should be considered. Those towers couldn't be used for anything without 2 means of egress, per code. I don't see how you do that without drastically altering the appearance of the towers. I love the idea of redeveloping this and making it some destination, but there are so many challenges with it.
I'll be curious whatever comes of it though. It's a project I'd love to be a part of. It would take A LOT of money though. Not quite as easily adaptable as Ottawa...and that was still a $350 million project I think.
It's definitely a challenging project but may not be as bad or at least any worse than the Ottawa Plant, at least on a per sq ft basis. The only portion of the building that they need to be careful with is the old power house closer to river, the taller section of the plant itself can be stripped of its exterior and reconfigured in whatever way is necessary or tore down partially or completely to build something new, no need to carefully keep the exterior intact as with Ottawa. I imagine the environmental remediation will have to happen either way so no sense in counting that against the budget, keeping the building may very well mean less remediation to do. The problem is just the size, it almost has to be a hotel/waterpark/entertainment complex or hotel/casino or a large corporate hq or something along those lines.
At the end of the day as long as they keep the old powerhouse I'll be happy, the smokestacks would be cool to keep but I can also see an argument to see them go.
@hood, totally with you. As iconic as the smokestacks have been for the last 40 years, I think the original powerplant, or what's left, is what should be focused on saving. Anything more than that just makes this such a massive project. From an architectural standpoint, I'd love to see internally how they cobbled on all these additions. It's always amazed me how massive such a moderate plant became over the decades. It's funny to see how distinct the different eras and cheapening of materials as they added on.
I'm sure this photo has been shared before, but I believe this is the original before any additions.
I do hope they offer some tours of the building when it shuts down, I'll have to force myself to not miss the opportunity if so.
All the above being said, I really do believe that a large scale entertainment complex, in particular a large and well done indoor waterpark, would do very well there. Michigan is really lacking in proper indoor waterparks despite being a prime climate for them, Lansing is a prime location for such a thing as it's in the middle of all the state's major population centers. If they really make a landmark out of it, incorporating the smokestacks and some power station elements into the design, it could actually be something of a destination for people within a half days drive or so. You then throw in the good old reliable hotel occupancy from MSU athletics (sports trips become whole family trips) and I think it's actually feasible, or at least worth seriously investigating.
I've toured the facility. It's very industrial. Tight spaces and stairs, loud. It doesn't have the art deco pizzaz that the water treatment plant on Cedar has, and architecturally it's no Ottawa St station. My favorite part was the view from the roof.
If you get the chance, it's cool to do it to say you did, but otherwise, it's just a big power plant.
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Like I said, I'd love to see something done with it when it goes off line, but I just think it would be a long shot.
I continue to be a fan of converting it into a resort style indoor waterpark, with other entertainment options of course. I've had this SketchUp model on my computer for years without ever making much progress on it, still it shows the (very) general idea: The older short section nearer the river preserved and restored with the taller portion of the plant carved into hotel space on the upper floors with a winter garden-like glassed in indoor waterpark wrapping around the smokestacks:
When it's decommissioned, something will definitely happen with it...one direction or another.
Eckert is tricky for demo though also since it's not in an empty field somewhere like many coal plants. Same would have been true for Ottawa. Simply imploding seems like it would be tricky.
All I know is the individuals I've spoken to that worked in power distribution or were execs at power companies agree it would likely be razed. Maybe that's the newer approach to the decomissioned plants, raze and decontaminate the sites.
All that aside, the practicality of redeveloping it should be considered. Those towers couldn't be used for anything without 2 means of egress, per code. I don't see how you do that without drastically altering the appearance of the towers. I love the idea of redeveloping this and making it some destination, but there are so many challenges with it.
I'll be curious whatever comes of it though. It's a project I'd love to be a part of. It would take A LOT of money though. Not quite as easily adaptable as Ottawa...and that was still a $350 million project I think.
At the end of the day as long as they keep the old powerhouse I'll be happy, the smokestacks would be cool to keep but I can also see an argument to see them go.
I'm sure this photo has been shared before, but I believe this is the original before any additions.
All the above being said, I really do believe that a large scale entertainment complex, in particular a large and well done indoor waterpark, would do very well there. Michigan is really lacking in proper indoor waterparks despite being a prime climate for them, Lansing is a prime location for such a thing as it's in the middle of all the state's major population centers. If they really make a landmark out of it, incorporating the smokestacks and some power station elements into the design, it could actually be something of a destination for people within a half days drive or so. You then throw in the good old reliable hotel occupancy from MSU athletics (sports trips become whole family trips) and I think it's actually feasible, or at least worth seriously investigating.
If you get the chance, it's cool to do it to say you did, but otherwise, it's just a big power plant.