Lansing’s Biggest Eyesore May Finally Be Demolished

If you're reading this article, there's a good chance you already know which building is being discussed. There's also a good chance that if you're reading this article, you just yelled "Finally!!" Either way, after nearly a decade since it was deemed a dangerous building, Lansing's most infamous building is on course to be demolished.

A State of Limbo

Located on the corner of Allegan and Grand Ave., the William Neller Building has been falling apart for years. The building is nearly 100 years old, having been built in 1938. The building is adorned with murals all along the walls, but that's mainly to distract from the boarded-up windows, falling bricks, and the literal tree growing out of the building. This building would be right at home in a zombie apocalypse movie.

The building has sat empty for years, with little to no progress to fix it. The owner of the building, Wyoming-based The Granger Group, claims it has sat vacant for so long because they've been looking for the right project to build on the property, specifically, they hoped it could be the new home of City Hall. However, Mayor Schor shot down the proposal, moving ahead with a different group. Now that they've exhausted their efforts, the building now has a date with a wrecking ball.

Public Trust Is Low

To the Granger Group's credit, they have submitted multiple proposals for the property, however none have been approved. However, now that all this time has passed with nothing to show for it, residents of the city have little trust in the Granger Group to do something productive with the building once it has been demolished.

In the Historical Society of Greater Lansing Facebook Group, residents aired their grievances with the organization:

"Granger Group is absolutely disgusting and shouldn't be allowed to touch another property again."

 

"Property owners should be responsible to maintain the integrity of these properties or sell them prior to the point of no return."

Business owner Jen Estill, whose business neighbors the Neller Building, said in an interview with WLNS that she "doesn't trust them [Granger Group] at all".

The building may be being put out of its misery after all this time, though what comes next is still as unknown as before. But at the very least, people won't need to worry about the building falling on them.