Eyesore of the week

The issues facing this property are well known to Lansing’s Office of Building Safety, which has red-tagged the structure. Leaves and debris are piled on the front porch, which itself is in need of corrective maintenance. The main level windows are boarded up, and the exposed wood windows on the upper level need a coat of paint.

Looking beyond the deterioration, the home’s form is not unlike others in the area. Telescoping gables on the main entry volume and the jettied second floor dormer embellish the simple footprint and establish the home’s Tudor styling. The garage still presents staggered shakes and halftimbering characteristic of the style. It would not be surprising to find similar detailing under the home’s vinyl siding.

Like its form, the home’s circumstance is shared by other nearby buildings. Built in 1927, this house once faced a row of similar residences across the street (then called Main Street). In preparation for the construction of Interstate 496, a one block wide swath, between Main and St. Joseph, was razed. The vacated land, which ran from Claire Street east to the Grand River, was excavated and the Olds Freeway was built. Homes that remained were no longer part of the formerly cohesive streetscape.

— Daniel E. Bollman, AIA

“Eyesore of the Week” is our look at some of the seedier properties in Lansing. It rotates each week with Eye Candy of the Week. If you have a suggestion, please e-mail eye@lansingcitypulse.com or call Andy Balaskovitz at 999-5064.