Eye Candy of the Week

Old Union Depot, 637 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing 

Locals will recognize this week’s Eye Candy as Clara’s, a popular restaurant on Michigan Avenue for nearly 40 years before closing in 2016. The building has recently secured new tenants: Starbucks and Michigan-based restaurant Bobcat Bonnie’s. Starbucks is now open, and Bobcat Bonnie’s is expected to open its doors this coming spring to serve brunch and more.  

The old Union Depot received a facelift by owner the Gillespie Group in preparation for its reopening. Notable changes include a new slate-colored roof, upgraded sidewalks and landscaping, and a fresh paint job on the sleeper rail car parked nearby. Its Tudor-inspired design still shines through; limestone arches pop against the red brick and grey roof and new windows breathe life back into the wonderfully asymmetrical structure. Globe lights are a nice finishing touch for the exterior. Inside, its famous quarter-sawed red oak finish has been retained.  

Union Depot has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995. It operated as a railroad passenger station beginning in 1902, serving as the Lansing station for the Michigan Central and Pere Marquette railroads. After World War II, automobile use increased and the development of the interstate highway system significantly reduced demand for passenger rails. Transportation service ceased at Union Station in 1971. Fortunately, its contribution to Lansing as a beautiful building with rich history continues.