REO Town Historic District Joe Parks, Emily Stanewich, Zach Tecson & Jacob Terrell Michigan State University National Register Designation Objectives and Methodology Property Inventory NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROJECT OBJECTIVES PROJECT METHODOLOGY INVENTORY FORMS What is the National Register of Historic Places? This Historic Resource Survey Report was commissioned 1. Boundary Finalization A property survey form was ● Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 by the City of Lansing to attain the designation of REO The boundary of this survey area follows the commercial completed for each building ● Official list of the Nation’s historic places Town to the National Register of Historic Places. As the and multi-family property lines on both sides of within the proposed REO Town ● Purpose: “to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and intensive-level survey is a necessary precursor to the Washington Avenue from the Grand River to Island Street. historic district. Each form protect America’s historic and archeological resources” (NPS) nomination of any district to the National Register of After further research and discussion with clients, the contains identifying location Historic Places, this report is designed to record surveyed initial boundaries were confirmed. Following finalization, information, physical property information as well as bring awareness to REO the team created a parcel map for the proposed REO characteristics, and a statement National Historic District Town’s history and significance. A designation on the Town Historic District using Geographic Information of significance (Figure 3). Along ● Primary Goal: Identify historic National Register will improve the City of Lansing’s Systems (Figure 2). with an accompanying database, resources of the Nation redevelopment readiness by increasing the availability of detailed property information is ● Optional participation incentives for economic development and historic 2. Intensive Level Survey kept organized in compliance ○ Does not restrict or obligate preservation. Parcels in the defined study boundary were assessed and with the State of Michigan documented using property survey forms. Following property owners Historic Preservation Office survey form criteria provided by the Michigan State ● Incentivises historical renovations guidelines. Preservation Historic Office (MiSHPO), data was collected and upkeep of historic buildings in the field and from various sources, such as the ○ Rehabilitation Tax Credits NEXT STEPS Riverpoint Neighborhood Historical Survey and the City of The primary historical resources Lansing Assessor’s Records, to complete intensive-level used to assemble property ● The City of Lansing will explore funding routes for the survey forms. survey forms include the completion of the proposed REO Town Historic Riverpoint Neighborhood Benefits for REO Town District nomination 3. Historical Research Historical Survey (1998), the City ● Optional 20% tax credit for ● Application to Michigan State Preservation Historic Team members researched the proposed REO Town of Lansing Assessor’s Office, the contributing properties and eligible Office (MiSHPO) for certified local government grant Historic District as well as the Greater Lansing Area to Lansing State Journal and the renovations funding to complete nomination construct an accurate historical description and timeline United States Congress. ● New opportunities for current ● The City of Lansing will contact all property owners for the district. To prepare the historical context for REO businesses and incentives to attract within the proposed REO Town Historic District to Town’s proposal, the team gathered information from Data used to fill out the inventory new companies include them of designation process various archival sources related to REO Town, including the forms was also collected in the Figure 3. Coven Building Property Form for REO Town Historic Survey ● Enhancement of REO Town’s sense ● Community stakeholder meetings will be held by the Library of Congress, the City of Lansing, the REO Town field by project team members. of place and identity City of Lansing in REO Town Commercial Association, Board of Water and Light, the Figure 1. REO Town Survey Boundaries ● Tools that support the connection of Lansing State Journal and the R.E. Olds Foundation. Downtown Lansing and the Lansing Figure 2. REO Town Survey Area in Lansing, Michigan River Trail to REO Town to bring new visitors ● Complementary to Lansing’s land use plan, District Mixed Use Center History Evaluation Results Planning Recommendations The proposed REO Town Historic District has abundant untapped potential for significant improvement that will allow the district to LANSING’S BEGINNINGS PROSPERITY IN REO TOWN REO TOWN TODAY INTENSIVE LEVEL SURVEY RESULTS NOMINATION RECOMMENDATIONS better adhere to the Lansing Master Plan. REO Town can use the idea of placemaking to inspire people to reimagine the public ● ● ● space as a new area for growth. Placemaking is a “multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public In 1835, William and Henry Ford made the The central location and booming industry Today, REO Town has begun several REO Town, Lansing meets the National Register of Historic Places We recommend that REO Town, Lansing be nominated to the trek from Lansing, New York to the made the City of Lansing an ideal location for revitalization efforts to restore the commercial spaces, and capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of creating public spaces that district back to its former glory. Criteria of Evaluation for listing under National Register Criterions A and National Register of Historic Places under the criteria and levels of previously uncharted land of REO Town. trade via trains. In 1902, REO Town was the promote people's health, happiness, and well being,” (Purdue Extension). They plotted the land and returned to New chosen location for the Grand Trunk Railroad ● In 2010, the Board of Water and Light C: significance noted above. Our recommendation for REO Town’s announced its cogeneration plant and York. Sixteen investors bought the land and Depot. The Depot connected REO Town to the period of significance is from 1898, when the oldest building, headquarters project in the REO Town district. moved to REO Town shortly thereafter. rest of Lansing and crucial industrial suppliers This project brought new jobs to the area and “The quality of significance in American history, architecture, located at 1212, 1214, and 1216 S Washington Ave, was constructed ● The original sixteen settlers remained the throughout the midwest. After the construction restored the Grand Trunk Railroad Depot. archaeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, to 1969, 50 years prior to the present. Form Based Codes Connection to Downtown Lansing only residents in the Lansing area until 1847 of the depot, the REO Town commercial corridor ● The City of Lansing announced a $3 million sites, buildings, structures and objects that possess integrity of ● One way to aid in maintaining a National Register Historic District ● An art installment and REO Town signage by the new substation could act when the Michigan State Capital moved to flourished. streetscape plan for S. Washington Ave in 2013. Lansing. The population of Lansing exploded ● In 1905 Ransom E. Olds started the REO Motor The project introduced bike lanes, sidewalk location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and In the proposed REO Town Historic District, there are 42 building ● Can include a landscape aspect to be used as a guide for architectural and as an attractive and enticing avenue to the area (Figure 6). throughout the next decade. The new Company. He built the factory just south of the landscaping, and benches along the REO Town association, and: considered ‘contributing’ to the historic district and four buildings general aesthetics. ● The cohesive use of landscaping will also be a useful tool and could ● Support the maintenance of density limits and maximum heights to ensure feature elements like potted trees on the Washington Avenue Bridge. population brought new industrial Grand Trunk Depot in REO Town. The factory commercial corridor. A. That are associated with events that have made a that are considered ‘non-contributing’ to the historic district. the conformity of new construction to the district’s appropriate scale. ● Using attractive light elements to the district’s advantage could play a role manufacturing and trade to the area. supported both REO Town and several significant contribution to the broad patterns of our ● These industries formed an industrial surrounding neighborhoods in Lansing for in bridging this gap. history; and environment in Lansing that was the basis several decades. After the Great Depression, the Infrastructure for the automotive revolution of the 20th REO Motor Company struggled to keep up with C. That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, ● Becoming a National Register Historic District will allow REO Town to century. the other, much larger, auto manufacturers. REO period, or method of construction, or that represent the continue making updates that improve traffic around local businesses. Motor Company eventually declared bankruptcy work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or ● The listing of REO Town on the National Register of Historic Places will in 1975. that represent a significant