Eyesore of the Week 9/4/24: 1342 N. Walnut St, Lansing

Correction: Due to a reporting error, the print version of this story cited more than $46,000 due on back taxes. This is incorrect. Ingham County Treasurer Alan Fox said delinquent taxes have been paid as recently as Feb. 2024. The current balance due is $11,707.14, Fox said. City Pulse apologizes for the mistake.

1342 N. Walnut St., Lansing

Just south and across the banks of the Grand River from Dietrich Park, this 2,097-square-foot, four-bedroom home is littered with citations from the city. Built in 1885, the boarded-up property has changed hands 10 times since 1997 and has been owned by 917 Chittock Street LLC since 2018. It was red-tagged for safety following a fire in 2014 and has since been left to deteriorate beyond what the city believes can be renovated in a reasonable time. While the house is valued at $58,100, the city’s Code Enforcement Office estimates the total cost of repairs to be $165,285. As a result, the city initiated the make-safe-or-demolish process in June. On Aug. 26, the City Council approved a 21-day order for ownership to arrange demolition. Public Safety Committee Chair Ryan Kost said a 917 Chittock Street LLC representative was not present at meetings where the property was discussed until Aug. 13. Kost said the representative “didn’t state any specific plan moving forward.” Back taxes have also piled up since the last payment was made in 2014, and the owners still owe $11,707.14, according to Ingham County Treasurer Alan Fox. Efforts to contact the owner were unsuccessful.