REO Town : Development News

Source: Kelly R. Bernero, Great Lakes Capital Fund
Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

It’s full steam ahead down at the Board of Water and Light’s new cogeneration plant construction site in REO Town. Earlier this month, the first of 4,130 pieces of fabricated steel began to go into place, creating the bones of the $182 million project.

“The steel ‘superstructure’ will be going up over the next three months,” says BWL’s Mark Nixon.  “That's approximate, based on weather. However, since the steel itself is local [from Douglas Steel], we shouldn't have problems reaching our supplier!”
 
The 2,100 tons of steel isn’t the only work happening on the large development project. The "Big Pour,” which is a weekly series of concrete pours is still underway, pouring about 7,000 cubic yards of concrete at the site. Additionally, work on building a gas pipeline from a Consumers Energy gas pipeline to the REO Town site has begun, as well as the renovation of the historic
Grand Trunk Railroad Depot. Terra cotta tile roofing, is now being put into place.
 
“It looks spectacular,” says Nixon. “It is going to make that old depot shine like it hasn't shone in many decades.”
 
The cogeneration plant is scheduled to open in July 2013. In the interim, the project will create more than 1,000 construction jobs. Once in operation, approximately 180 BWL employees will work in the new plant and company headquarters located there.

The Board of Water and Light’s much-anticipated $182 million natural gas-fired energy generation facility and headquarters in REO Town is now taking shape. Last week, construction crews began pouring 1,300 cubic yards of concrete at the site. The work will continue once a week through March 7, totaling 7,000 cubic yards of concrete.

The concrete will serve as the plant’s ground floor, which will encompass 67,000 square feet. Thirty-seven construction workers and 13 cement truck drivers will collectively work on the project BWL is calling, the “Big Pour.”
 
Though the Big Pour may be one of the first physical signs of the development, the excitement the forthcoming facility has created in REO Town has been building for some time. Several new businesses moving into the district have cited the development as a reason for their investment in the area.
 
“We're not surprised at all that new businesses are already planning to invest in REO Town,” says BWL’s Mark Nixon. “When you have 180 BWL employees working every day in REO Town, it's bound to spark investment by retailers and others.”
 
The visible signs of progress on the project will only increase after the Big Pour. Within two weeks, the first steel girders that will support the 7-story cogeneration plant will go up.
 
“Once steel begins going up,” says Nixon, “people in REO Town – and from a fair distance – will be able to see our future literally taking shape.”

What began as two similar companies and a play on words is now a full-on video production company moving into a new home in REO Town. Good Fruit Video actually began as Justin Caine’s Good Time Communications and Kraig Westfall’s KiWe Productions.
 
“At the time both of us were kind of struggling,” says Caine. “I had a large network of people but I did not have all the resources and knowledge I needed to for a full time video production company. Kraig, on the on the other hand, had all the experience and know-how, but his network was limited.”
 
The two started working together, sort of smashed their company names together off-handedly, and before they knew it they had a winning team and the name Good Fruit Video stuck. The team spent three years in the first class of East Lansing’s Technology Innovation Center.
 
“They TIC helped us out a lot,” says Caine. “When a business just starts out, cash flow is always the biggest issue. So when you have a resource like the TIC or like the NEO Center, that means you have a lot less of a burden so you can focus more time on building your company.”
 
Caine and Westfall are now graduating from the TIC and moving into a larger space in REO Town’s Art Alley building.
 
“REO Town is rtarting to redevelop and become a vibrant piece of our community,” says Caine. “We’re extremely excited about being there and really excited to keep on growing.” 

The word is out. REO Town is the place to open a new business. When Tyson Guillen was helping his friend Michael Lewis open his new REO Town specialty pet shop, Trick Your Bully, an idea was born.
 
“He’s the one who mentioned it,” says Guillen of Lewis. “I never even thought about doing a restaurant before.”
 
But now he does. The Southern Grille in REO Town became a reality after Lewis’ suggestion combined with the right partner.
 
“My brother-in-law is a real good cook,” Guillen says. “It just came together.”
 
The 600-square foot restaurant opened last week with a menu that is a blend between southern cooking – barbeque, ribs and greens – and more traditional American dishes, such as omelets and burgers.
 
“Nothing is bland,” says Guillen. “Everything has a lot of seasoning.”
 
In it’s first week, flexibility was the name of the game for The Southern Grille. Guillen says his first customer on the first day walked in and unknowingly asked for a specialty order.
 
“He came in from the GM plant,” Guillen says. “He just took three steps in the door and said, ‘Let me get a BLT to go.’ We didn’t have a BLT on the menu, but my brother-in-law and I just looked at each other and said ‘OK.’
 
“Every day since he’s been in and has ordered a BLT. If we got it we’ll make it.”
 

There are a lot of reasons to get excited about the Lansing Board of Water and Light’s new cogeneration facility being built in REO Town, from jobs to the new development and all the economic implications the $182 million project could have on the area. One small part of the project that is about to begin, however, serves as another reason for residents of REO Town to get excited: the restoration of a historic, 108-year-old railroad depot.
 
“The public is equally or more excited about restoring the depot,” says BWL’s Mark Nixon. “A sitting president, Gerald Ford, visited there. Ransom E. Olds had his Reo Truck Co. right next to the depot.”

The $2.5 million restoration will serve as a public meeting place for the BWL board of commissioners.
 
“Additionally, we plan to make it available to neighborhood groups in the REO Town area,” says Nixon.
 
The building operated as a depot until the 1970s, after which it became a restaurant for some time. It has now been abandoned for several years, but is on both the U.S. and Michigan Register of Historic Sites.

Both the interior and exterior will be renovated in accordance with historical preservation guidelines. Exterior renovations should be completed by January 2012. Interior restoration will continue through 2012 and into 2013. During construction, the depot will serve as construction offices.

The Christman Company is no stranger to building utility plants. The firm built the Moores Park Power Plant back in 1919. According to a recent announcement by the Lansing Board of Water and Light, Christman will now be the construction manager for the new Reo Town cogeneration facility that will replace the Moores Park Plant.

“We know how important community is to BWL, and we share with them a passion for Lansing as our own hometown as well,” say John Holmstrom, Senior Vice President and Project Director for Christman on the BWL Reo Town Plant Project.

The new $182 million plant will utilize natural gas allowing BWL to avoid burning 139,000 tons of coal each year. The REO Town facility will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent less than in Moores Park. The Christmas Company contract for the project is approximately $70 million.

Christman Company representatives have already begun working the BWL, as well as the firms Kramer Management Group and Burns & Roe engineering on the project. They anticipate construction crews to begin work on the site in late summer Approximately 200 workers, are expected to be employed by the project, and up to 1,000 trades-persons will be involved over the course of construction.

“Christman is thrilled to have the opportunity to support BWL’s vision in bringing this exciting, highly anticipated project to Lansing,” says Holmstrom.

Source: John Holmstrom, The Christman Company

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

Michael Lewis loves pit bulls.

“They’re great dogs,” he says. “Some get bad stigmas, but it’s all about the owner. I want to create awareness about the level of responsibility that goes along with the bully breed.”

To do so, Lewis opened Trick Your Bully, a new specialty pet store in REO Town featuring equipment for larger dog breeds including specialty collars, show leads, large muzzle and more. Lewis invested approximately $8,500 in the new location, including high-quality, handmade dog handling accessories.

“I used to show pit bulls,” Lewis says. “For the larger breeds, there’s not a lot of equipment in most stores that is functional for them.”

Lewis chose his 850 square foot REO Town location for its accessibility and for the walkable nature of the neighborhood that inspires dog walkers, but also for the growing sense of community there.

“I think REO Town is beginning to be an artsy place,” he says. “I want to be a part of the community.”

Lewis has community engagement plans of his own, hoping his store can be host to dog rescues and like organizations.

Trick Your Bully opened in March. Dogs are welcome in the store.

“It’s their store,” Lews says. “I’ve even got a big mirror here for them, so they can check themselves out. They like that.”

Source: Michael Lewis, Trick that Bully

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

Things are really spiffing up around Lansing's REO Town. And if everything goes as planned for Lansing developer Larry Nakfoor, the neighborhood is about to get even spiffier.

Nakfoor’s Wenco Properties has a plan to develop the former gas station on the corner of Washington and Elm into a commercial site for restaurant, office or retail use.

Though a total estimate of the redevelopment cost won’t be known until the complete buildout plan is made for the future tenant, Wenco Properties intends to invest between $30,000-$40,000 on the exterior improvements to the building.

"This is a very visible corner property in REO Town," says Nakfoor. "Its renovation, along with the Board of Water and Light announcement to invest in a new generation [natural gas power] plant are both evidence that REO Town is worthy of further investment."

Tucked neatly and unexpectedly in the heart of the Moores Park Neighborhood in South Lansing is a 1,200 square-foot salon, Swank, offering everything from a haircut and highlight, to manicures.

At 711 West Barnes Avenue in Lansing, Swank is next door to the Moores Park Neighborhood Community Gardens.

“I’m the heirloom tomato guy,” laughs Brian Kohls, co-owner of Swank. Kohls lives in the Moores Park neighborhood and owns the business with his partner, Jeremy James.

“I had owned salons in the past and really had no intentions of doing it again,” says Kohls. “But we lived in the neighborhood, and Jeremy bugged me to look at this building for a couple of months until he finally wore me down. It looked like a good project.”

After two years of solid renovations and bringing the two-story building up to code, the salon and the two apartments above it were finally open.

Aside from Kohls loyal clientele who have followed him over his 25 years as a stylist, Swank also sees many of the Moore's Park residents “popping in” for services.

“It’s such a romantic idea, to be able walk from your home to get a manicure or a haircut . . . so I’m glad Swank is able to provide that.”

Source: Brian, Swank Salon

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

When Lansing entrepreneur, Ryan Wert, opened Elm Street Recording in his home in Lansing’s REO Town in 2004, little did he know how much space the studio would actually take up.

The studio started in a few small rooms and gradually occupied more of the house until more space was necessary.

After a successful six years in business — with growing profits and clientele — Wert purchased the 1,200 square-foot home next door to expand Elm Street Recording.

“My wife [Megan] had to deal with clients walking in and out of our home,” laughs Wert. “After a while, it was pretty clear that we needed to commit and give Elm Street Recording its own space, and get a little of ours back.”

The new place, located at 218 Elm St. was condemned when they bought it, so the Werts have been busy painting, remodeling and refurbishing the new home into a professional studio space.

"We did everything from replacing rotting subfloor — I actually stepped through the floor in the kitchen at one point — to building new walls. It's now the studio and our old place is being reclaimed as living space."

Wert is also a pioneer in the revitalization of REO Town, investing at a time when there was no REO Art Alley or REO Eats project. “There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the REO Town area these days, and we’re just glad that it’s been our place of business for so long.”

Source: Ryan Wert, Elm Street Recording

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

Tucked quietly in a space at 106 Island Ave. in REO Town, Just B Yoga offers yoga for people of all levels, as well as tai chi and meditation classes and programs to the community. What makes the establishment unique is that it is donation-only, so you pay what you can.

Owner Belinda Thurston aims to encourage participation and never wants money to be an issue.

“Yoga and tai chi are often the most needed in our underserved communities … [but] they are least accessible in these communities,” says Thurston. “Just B is about helping restore, heal and build community from its roots. That's what I see REO Town is doing and I love being a part of it.”

Just B Yoga’s programs have increased since its inception last spring, and will also begin offering power yoga classes, a restorative yoga class and a prenatal yoga class. There is also a Hip Hop Power Hour class, giving power yoga students a hip hop playlist.

“Please keep checking the website because the [programs are] expanding quicker than I can keep up with myself,” adds Thurston, playfully.

Source: Belinda Thurston, Just B Yoga

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie