Eye candy of the week

With Lansing’s holiday festivities centered on the lighting of the State Christmas Tree, it may be easy to overlook other downtown attractions that recall the spirit of this festive season. The holiday tree and State Capitol immediately to the south of this imposing Richardsonian Romanesque church can figuratively and literally overshadow it. Impressive as it is, this church is not the best-known work of architect Elijah Myers, who designed the neighboring Capitol building.

Solidly anchored by a buttressed tower at the corner of Capital and Ottawa, the church is dressed in dark Ionia sandstone. The random coursing pattern is expressed in ashlar stone, in which individual blocks are carefully worked to fit tightly against the faces of adjacent masonry. Here, the exposed face remains rough. The corner tower is balanced at the west end of the south elevation by a round tower capped with a conical copper roof. In between, twin stone arches serve the Ottawa Street entrance.

The church was recognized with a 2014 Preservation Lansing Award for its efforts to maintain and restore its stained glass. The collection is particularly impressive when viewed from within the church. Visitors should not miss the spacious red oak interior and its great hammer beam trusses.

— Daniel E. Bollman, AIA

“Eye candy of the Week” is our weekly look at some of the nicer properties in Lansing. It rotates each with Eyesore of the Week. If you have a suggestion, please e-mail eye@lansingcitypulse.com or call Belinda Thurston at 999-5065.