NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. 1. Name of Property Historic name: _North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Documentation and Boundary Increase)_ Other names/site number: _Old Town_____________________________________ Name of related multiple property listing: _N/A__________________________________________________________ (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing ____________________________________________________________________________ 2. Location Street & number: _____________________________________________ City or town: _Lansing_______ State: _Michigan_______ County: _Ingham___________ Not For Publication: Vicinity: ____________________________________________________________________________ 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination ___ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property _X_ meets ___ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: ___national ___statewide _X_ local Applicable National Register Criteria: _X_ A ___B _X_ C ___D Signature of certifying official/Title: Date ______________________________________________ State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government 1 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Ingham County, Michigan Documentation and Boundary Increase) Name of Property County and State In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria. Signature of commenting official: Date Title : State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is: entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register other (explain:) _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action ____________________________________________________________________________ 5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) Private: X Public – Local X Public – State Public – Federal Sections 1-6 page 2 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Ingham County, Michigan Documentation and Boundary Increase) Name of Property County and State Category of Property (Check only one box.) Building(s) District X Site Structure Object Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing _____70______ _____8_______ buildings ______0______ _____0_______ sites ______2______ _____2_______ structures ______2______ _____0_______ objects ______74______ _____10_______ Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register _44________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) _COMMERCE/TRADE: business_ _COMMERCE/TRADE: professional_ _COMMERCE/TRADE: specialty store_ _COMMERCE/TRADE: restaurant_ _INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: manufacturing facility_ _INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: energy facility_ _SOCIAL/meeting hall_ _DOMESTIC/single dwelling_ _EDUCATION/school_ Sections 9-end page 3 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Ingham County, Michigan Documentation and Boundary Increase) Name of Property County and State _RELIGIOUS/religious facility_ Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) _COMMERCE/TRADE: business_ _COMMERCE/TRADE: professional_ _COMMERCE/TRADE: specialty store_ _COMMERCE/TRADE: restaurant_ _INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: manufacturing facility_ _INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: energy facility_ _DOMESTIC: single dwelling_ _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions.) _Italianate___________ _Queen Anne________ _Commercial Style____ _Greek Revival_______ _Colonial Revival_____ _Classical Revival_____ _Modern Movement____ Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) Principal exterior materials of the property: Brick, Stone/Limestone, Concrete, Wood/Weatherboard, Vinyl, Asphalt, _______________________ Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.) ______________________________________________________________________________ Summary Paragraph Sections 9-end page 4 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Ingham County, Michigan Documentation and Boundary Increase) Name of Property County and State The North Lansing Historic Commercial District is located in what is now the north section Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan. The district is centered on the intersection of East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Turner Street, and extends from the intersection of N. Capitol and W. Cesar E. Chavez eastward past the intersection of N. Larch, and north and south from Chavez to include adjacent blocks of N. Washington Ave., Turner, Center, and Cedar Streets. However, the majority of the district’s resources are located on Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, Turner Street, and North Washington Avenue. The boundaries of the district encompass the historic business district of Lower Town as well as adjacent residential blocks containing the homes of early residents and businessmen. The core of the district was included in an earlier nomination completed in 1976. The district contains commercial blocks, manufacturing buildings, church buildings, and substantial residences, some of which have been converted to commercial use. The district includes some early industrial buildings that catalyzed the district’s growth and includes an early hotel. It includes the large homes of the city’s early business owners and professionals that reflect architectural styles popular from the mid-nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century, and some more modest homes of the middle class. The district’s longest axes are the approximately 0.5 mile along Cesar E. Chavez Avenue from the Pulver Gas Station (127 W.) to include Zoobie’s Old Town Bar (611 E.), and the approximately 0.25 mile along North Washington Avenue from the North Presbyterian Church (108 W. Cesar Chavez) to Oakland Ave. The district contains 121 buildings, mostly two stories in height, which date from circa 1840s to 2000, but are mostly from the late nineteenth century. It also contains four structures (the North Lansing Dam, the Brenke Fish Ladder and Sculpture, the Robert P. Busby Memorial Bridge, and an A.T.M. kiosk) and two objects (First House boulder plaque and Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Rail Road marker). A total of 118 of these resources are contributing (including forty-four previously listed in the original district), while ten are Non- Contributing because they are less than fifty years old or have suffered loss of architectural integrity. The district has Italianate and Late Victorian commercial blocks, Greek Revival, Queen Anne and Italianate houses, and later representatives of the Modern Movement that exhibit influences of the International style. The district has a variety of facades displaying a range of architectural styles that yet form a consistently attractive streetscape. Most of the district is composed of well-preserved buildings, while many of the small number of vacant or insensitively renovated storefronts are currently the focus of restoration activity. The district as a whole continues to convey its significance through its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling,