Eyesore of the Week

921 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing

Purchased at auction by Brian Tillery II and Kabuba R. Mwilima in 2022, this house, seven blocks north of the State Capitol, is one of the more glaring eyesores in the city.

The residence is in such bad shape that it’s unsafe even to walk up the badly damaged steps to the porch. Much of the porch surface is missing or rotted through. The roof covering the porch between the first and second stories is also missing much of its structure and partially caved in.

Ingham County Treasurer Alan Fox stated in 2021 that the property was forfeited to the treasurer by RRL Properties, LLC. He said the county foreclosed on it in 2022 and sold it at auction for $25,000 to Tillery.

“As of three years ago, it had some real potential because of some well-preserved interior woodwork,” Fox added, “but also some other issues as a result of it not being occupied for a long time. I had hoped for more progress on rehabbing the property.”

The 119-year-old, 2,510-square-foot, two-story home has an assessed value of $53,300, according to Lansing’s BS&A website. It has been on the city’s red-tag list since June 2024 and also has a pink tag, which prohibits a landlord from renting a property to a new tenant until the property has been inspected and approved for occupancy by the city.

Tillery, whom a Google search associates with Kabuba Enterprises, LLC, could not be reached by any phone numbers available online.

“Eyesore of the Week” is our weekly look at some of the seedier properties in Lansing. It rotates with Public Art, by Bill Castanier. Have a suggestion? Email eye@lansingcitypulse.com  or call in a nomination at 517-999-5061.