Lansing State Journal
The holes in the exterior of downtown's Hollister Building are not a sign of its demise.
Rather, they're the beginning of an effort by Ron Boji to turn the face of the building at Washington Square and Allegan Street in downtown Lansing into a more trendy facade.
Boji's Boji Group bought the 1893 structure a year ago. At the first crack of spring, crews will tear off the modern brick facade covering the first two floors of the Hollister Building and replace it with a 1950s-style glass and limestone physique, the developer said.
The work is part of a $6 million investment by Boji Group to turn the 100,000-square-foot building into a mix of residential, office and retail space.
"The Hollister Building is going to complement the progress that has started and continues to go on downtown," Boji said.
"You're going to blink your eyes and two years from now you'll see a totally different Washington Square."
The project, which is expected to take a year to complete, is welcome news for Steve Utrup. He opened Capitol Square Jewelry Repair & Gifts in July in the Hollister Building.
"This building has to look good," Utrup said, referring to its prominent spot at Allegan Street and Washington Square.
"You can see it from every direction."
Tax credits
The 1950s-era exterior was chosen from among the different facades the building has had over the years. The work aligns with federal historic standards that qualifies the project for historic rehabilitation tax credits.
A mix of federal, state and local tax breaks is the only way such a big project is financially feasible, Boji said.
"We put in a lot of time looking at the exterior," he said.
"The '50s seemed like when all the action was going on."
Loft-style apartments
Boji plans to remodel the building's top two floors into 30 loft-style apartments, half of which he hopes to have ready in the fall of 2007. That's when Cooley Law School students, one of Boji's target groups, start classes.
The building's second through fourth floors will remain office space, while the first floor will target retailers.
Boji said he's working with current retail tenants to keep them in the building.
He also is pledging the high-profile corner space of the building for a combination bar and restaurant.
Boji said the eatery could be a relocated and revamped Majority, an upscale restaurant he co-owns in his nearby Capitol View building. It also could be a new establishment.