Nice photos. I like the park, but it really is too bad that LCC doesn't have much retail around it. Even though it's only a couple blocks from Washington it feels much farther because of the offices and garages that segregate it. I went to LCC for 3 years and very seldom went anywhere for lunch other than Gibson's or that terrible pizza place in the garage.
I agree, look at these bricks still in place after decades of use as the foundation for the asphalt paving. Properly installed I believe bricks are less susceptible to making potholes because they do not fall apart in freezing weather and can allow rainwater to drain better not staying on the surface or just under. Bricks can be pulled up for utility work and laid back in place using the same bricks. It would look really nice in Old Town, on Capitol Avenue, and on Michigan Avenue up to Grand Avenue to have brick paving.
Yup, that's the one. This was the '75 flood I believe, which was a really big one. That is a very Mod design for a gas station. I think it would have been a good idea back then to either protect this area with maybe a dike or levee or just move all those businesses out the lowest areas that flood regularly. In the background of this photo, you can see the area that is going to be the Red Cedar project. The new buildings are going to sit high over this neighborhood being built on platforms above the flood plan they will fill this skyline.
Reading this article reminds me of the family and the neighborhood connection to our schools was very important, creating an identity a place of common cause and interest. I can relate to this feeling as my Dad went to Barnes Ave and Lansing Central and was a Big Red, his sons, and daughter all went Barnes Ave and to J.W. Sexton we were all Big Reds. I knew the feeling of walking the same hall as my big brothers and sister trying to live up to their accomplishments, both athletic and academic Ervin Johnson was in the Sexton district when they were based on neighborhoods but went to Everett as part of a racial desegregation plan that meant to balance the numbers of minorities in each school. Sexton had slightly more A.A. students than Everett so they bused kids who actually lived right next to Sexton over to Everett. I guess my point is that was when the neighborhood school started to be thought of as no longer relevant, there would be lots of other considerations with kids being bused all over the city. I often think of how much fuel is burned and pollution is created transporting these kids all over. It was good to read that Eastern still has some of the feelings of community and just a love of a place. I still see students that live in that neighborhood walking home from school! I hope they can transfer those traditions to the new building. I would think that keeping the Penn. Ave facade at least is in their plans, it really is beautiful and should be preserved, they just don't build them like that anymore. They should be banned from building more parking structures there.
It sure would make a lot of sense to renovate such a nice old home, I could see it being used perhaps as a Lansing History Museum, or even a Lansing/Michigan African American History Museum. For most of the 20th Century, this neighborhood was the center of the A.A. community in Lansing, which is why I think it has been neglected for so long. Old memories and prejudices die hard. Back in the day before 496 and M-99, it was not so great over there with a lot of old sub-standard housing in a densely populated area. If one did take a little tour of the neighborhood today you would find it mostly quite nice with most folks taking care of their homes and the surrounding area. The Capitol Complex is basically walled off from MLK and to the west so I would not be surprised to hear that most state workers have never visited that neighborhood. I have been looking at houses on the west side for a while now for the big day when I move out of this rental and there are some very nice homes reasonably priced lower as you got closer to MLK. The prices have been rising over there. I looked at 1515 W Allegan so nice! It sold quickly.
I was into "Lansing Development" stuff when I was a nerdy kid and I remember this plan. It actually seemed more attractive than the more drastic modern buildings that were to replace the building altogether. This plan would have covered up and loomed over the Capitol but at least the old building was still there. The pool over underground parking would have been cool. When considering that they could have built this or worse it is so great that today we are renovating and preserving the Capitol Building, it really looks better than ever these days.
Yeah, that wouldn't have been the worst thing that could have happened but I'm still glad they didn't do it. Having the original unobstructed building is by far the best option in my eyes.
Stumbled across an old video labeled as South Butler from 1966. It's a striking contrast to this stretch of street today. I'm not sure exactly where the video was shot, or the cross street where the gas station can be seen- but it's interesting nonetheless.
I look forward to when the west side of Buter, north of Kalamazoo is finally developed.
Comments
I hope that this coverage doesn't give current students ideas for this year.
Nice photos. I like the park, but it really is too bad that LCC doesn't have much retail around it. Even though it's only a couple blocks from Washington it feels much farther because of the offices and garages that segregate it. I went to LCC for 3 years and very seldom went anywhere for lunch other than Gibson's or that terrible pizza place in the garage.
I agree, look at these bricks still in place after decades of use as the foundation for the asphalt paving. Properly installed I believe bricks are less susceptible to making potholes because they do not fall apart in freezing weather and can allow rainwater to drain better not staying on the surface or just under. Bricks can be pulled up for utility work and laid back in place using the same bricks. It would look really nice in Old Town, on Capitol Avenue, and on Michigan Avenue up to Grand Avenue to have brick paving.
It's the gas station that is currently Admiral/Marathon at K'zoo and Clippert. My older brother worked there while in high school.
Yup, that's the one. This was the '75 flood I believe, which was a really big one. That is a very Mod design for a gas station. I think it would have been a good idea back then to either protect this area with maybe a dike or levee or just move all those businesses out the lowest areas that flood regularly. In the background of this photo, you can see the area that is going to be the Red Cedar project. The new buildings are going to sit high over this neighborhood being built on platforms above the flood plan they will fill this skyline.
Reading this article reminds me of the family and the neighborhood connection to our schools was very important, creating an identity a place of common cause and interest. I can relate to this feeling as my Dad went to Barnes Ave and Lansing Central and was a Big Red, his sons, and daughter all went Barnes Ave and to J.W. Sexton we were all Big Reds. I knew the feeling of walking the same hall as my big brothers and sister trying to live up to their accomplishments, both athletic and academic Ervin Johnson was in the Sexton district when they were based on neighborhoods but went to Everett as part of a racial desegregation plan that meant to balance the numbers of minorities in each school. Sexton had slightly more A.A. students than Everett so they bused kids who actually lived right next to Sexton over to Everett. I guess my point is that was when the neighborhood school started to be thought of as no longer relevant, there would be lots of other considerations with kids being bused all over the city. I often think of how much fuel is burned and pollution is created transporting these kids all over. It was good to read that Eastern still has some of the feelings of community and just a love of a place. I still see students that live in that neighborhood walking home from school! I hope they can transfer those traditions to the new building. I would think that keeping the Penn. Ave facade at least is in their plans, it really is beautiful and should be preserved, they just don't build them like that anymore. They should be banned from building more parking structures there.
It sure would make a lot of sense to renovate such a nice old home, I could see it being used perhaps as a Lansing History Museum, or even a Lansing/Michigan African American History Museum. For most of the 20th Century, this neighborhood was the center of the A.A. community in Lansing, which is why I think it has been neglected for so long. Old memories and prejudices die hard. Back in the day before 496 and M-99, it was not so great over there with a lot of old sub-standard housing in a densely populated area. If one did take a little tour of the neighborhood today you would find it mostly quite nice with most folks taking care of their homes and the surrounding area. The Capitol Complex is basically walled off from MLK and to the west so I would not be surprised to hear that most state workers have never visited that neighborhood. I have been looking at houses on the west side for a while now for the big day when I move out of this rental and there are some very nice homes reasonably priced lower as you got closer to MLK. The prices have been rising over there. I looked at 1515 W Allegan so nice! It sold quickly.
I was into "Lansing Development" stuff when I was a nerdy kid and I remember this plan. It actually seemed more attractive than the more drastic modern buildings that were to replace the building altogether. This plan would have covered up and loomed over the Capitol but at least the old building was still there. The pool over underground parking would have been cool. When considering that they could have built this or worse it is so great that today we are renovating and preserving the Capitol Building, it really looks better than ever these days.
Stumbled across an old video labeled as South Butler from 1966. It's a striking contrast to this stretch of street today. I'm not sure exactly where the video was shot, or the cross street where the gas station can be seen- but it's interesting nonetheless.
I look forward to when the west side of Buter, north of Kalamazoo is finally developed.