Due to the reporter’s error, this story needs to be corrected. The building was built in 1906 to house the First Methodist congregation before the Bethlehem Temple Church took over the building in 1965.
Approximately 300 steel beams are scattered on every floor of the former Bethlehem Temple Church in the Old City-the only one that can prevent this iconic building from collapsing on its own as the developer advances an ambitious and long-awaited reconstruction project factor.
Since April, a staff of about 20 construction workers has been demolishing the building. Last week, the former temple club had only one windowless brick shell and four ionic columns still protruding. The rest will start a new life in spring.
“You can’t throw it away. You can’t just demolish this building. I think the old town would be different without it,” said Eric Hanna, president and CEO of Michigan Community Capital, a company headquartered in The non-profit organization in Lansing purchased this vacant historic building for approximately US$500,000 in 2019.
Michigan Community Capital also recently purchased the old town diner next door, which is scheduled to close on November 22, said owner Laurie Bruder. Hannah declined to comment on the recent acquisition. Dodd said the developer has no immediate plans to redevelop the restaurant.
After receiving approximately US$10 million in public and private investment, Hanna plans to relocate his office to the first floor and transform the four floors above it into 31 middle-income apartment units. He also tried to attract a coffee shop or deli to open a shop on the site.
If all goes well, the developer hopes that this place can be completed and opened in March. Last week, the staff were waiting for the last layer of concrete to dry before the inner wall could begin construction. Hannah said that in the coming weeks, local residents can look forward to more live events.
“All these jobs are not for making money. In this case, it’s located on a hill on the top of the old city. It’s on the edge. From a community development perspective, this is one of the lowest paid census tracts in the city. ,” Hannah added. “If you just start destroying historical natural assets in the community, it will really start to devalue the community. Our strategy is to strengthen them.”
Hannah said, however, strengthening this building is a complex project. Considering the time and energy invested in a partial conservation project of only 31 apartment units, it will certainly not be the most profitable project in the Michigan Community Capital portfolio.
“By doing this, you are actually preserving the original characteristics of the community, thereby attracting more investment. If you demolish this building, there is no reason to come here,” Hannah added. “None of this is to make money. The reason for this is because we don’t want to form a crater in this historic district.”
This 11,700-square-foot property was built in 1906 to house the First Methodist congregation in front of the Bethlehem Temple Church. In 2000, the old town developer Diane Burns spent US$925,000 to transform the area into a music venue. From 2001 to 2006, the Temple Club hosted a national tour, comedians, and political events, including Pastor Holden Heat, Patton Oswalt, and the Wu Tang clan.
The club was closed for financial reasons in 2006 until a group of investors led by developer Alan Hooper bought it in 2009. Since then, the building was briefly used for the 2011 Capital Film Festival and various Lansing Makers Network events. year 2013.
Hannah said that his company revolved around community reconstruction and relatively affordable housing options for local residents. His other projects include functionally outdated or dilapidated buildings in Detroit, Traverse City, Flint and Grand Rapids. Partnerships with state and city governments — and various tax incentives — are the key to keep them moving forward.
Michigan community capital relies on funds from banks and public institutions, such as the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Housing Development Agency.
“This building obstructs the old town,” Hannah said. “The funds it needs are always beyond the ability of ordinary business owners. There are not enough units to make this profitable. To truly complete this project, it always needs to establish a public-private partnership.”
A two-story parking structure will be constructed behind the building to accommodate customers and tenants. Ben Dowd, chairman of the Old Town Business Association, also said that he believes that redevelopment is the backbone of the continued growth of nearby communities.
This iconic statue was demolished during renovations yesterday, which shocked hundreds of local residents on social media. An online petition “Return Major’s Giraffe back to the gas station or help me” received nearly 500 signatures overnight.
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Kyle Kaminski is an award-winning investigative journalist with many years of experience covering local and state politics, education, and criminal justice issues. He likes to send FOIA requests, drink coffee, and hold elected officials accountable to the public.