LANSING, Mich. — Demolition has begun on the Walter Neller Building, a long-vacant structure in downtown Lansing that received a red-tag designation in October 2016 due to safety concerns. Heavy machinery was captured in a video posted to Facebook Wednesday afternoon, showing the dismantling of part of the building.
The property, located at 122 S. Grand Avenue, had been ordered by the Lansing City Council last December to be made safe or demolished within 60 days. The owners, the Granger Group, have since initiated demolition after removing hazardous materials, including asbestos, from the site, a Lansing city official confirmed.
The deteriorating condition of the building had become increasingly evident. Reports from last March highlighted the presence of an art installation inside the building, while nature took its toll on the structure — vines were growing through the windows, a tree had broken through the roof, and a window fell from the second floor, shattering on the sidewalk below.
“For too long that building has sat as an eyesore and dangerous,” said At-Large Lansing City Councilman Peter Spadafore in a statement. “While we have had productive conversations with the property owners, this process ensures that the building is coming down and that land can be part of the next chapter of downtown’s story.”
The Granger Group has plans to redevelop the site as part of efforts to revitalize downtown Lansing, signaling a fresh start for the once-neglected property.
