Eyesore of the Week

617 S. Capitol Ave., Lansing

This property was provided as a reader tip, with the added comment that it is just down the street from a recent Eye Candy. One can just make out the bottom of an upper level shutter, which is undersized in two directions: too short to reach the nearby sill and too narrow to cover the adjacent window. While the missing shingles and damaged roof sheathing offer obvious signs of imminent water damage, the ivy left growing wild is possibly more treacherous, especially on wood windows and trim. The vines, in a constant search for water, can widen gaps in mortar joints, causing damage to the brick as well. The rendering below shows what it could be.

“Eyesore of the Week” is our weekly look at some of the seedier properties in Lansing. It rotates each with Eye Candy of the Week. If you have a suggestion, please e-mail eye@lansingcitypulse.com or call Berl Schwartz at 999-5061.