Lansing wants a developer to save a 150-year-old building in Old Town that the city nearly demolished.
The two-story structure at 308 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., officially known as the F. Preuss Building, has sat vacant for at least a decade, according to the Lansing State Journal, and is open to the elements, said Kris Klein, president and CEO of the Lansing Economic Development Corporation (LEDC). An appraisal values it at $5,000.
The city acquired the 3,927-square-foot property in 2026 after it failed to sell at a tax foreclosure auction. Ingham County returned the building at no cost. Officials considered tearing it down, the Lansing State Journal reported, but chose instead to seek rehabilitation proposals.
"There's considerable challenges with the building, but we all understood, in the best interests of the city and especially Old Town commercial district, wanting to preserve that building … The goal is to save the building, to rehab it, and maintain the uniformity of the block," Klein said.
The LEDC is accepting proposals through Monday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. Interested developers can find details on the LEDC's Build Lansing page.
What the city wants
The building, constructed in 1875, once housed a meat market. It sits on a 2,200-square-foot lot one block from the Grand River and the Lansing River Trail.
The parcel is zoned MX-2 (Mixed-Use Community Center), which allows retail or commercial space on the ground floor and office or residential uses above. The first floor has 1,718 square feet of commercial space; the second floor has 1,723 square feet of residential space.
Klein said past proposals have included commercial space on the first floor with rental apartments above. The LEDC's preferred outcome is activated commercial space and housing.
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment has been completed, and a Phase II assessment was underway as of the LEDC's listing.
What happens next
After the Sept. 14 deadline, the LEDC will interview candidates and make a recommendation to Lansing City Council in October. Council will have final approval on any redevelopment agreement.
The property was one of two inaugural sites featured when Mayor Andy Schor and the LEDC relaunched the Build Lansing platform on Wednesday, July 15. The Old Town Commercial District has drawn more than $100 million in public and private investment since 1996, according to the LEDC. Two developments with more than 160 housing units are under construction along Turner Street, with completion expected in 2028 and 2029.
Developers with questions can contact Amiee Evans, LEDC director of economic development, at 517-898-1356.
