LANSING, Mich. — Construction is underway on one of Lansing's most historic sites, the Michigan School for the Blind.
The building fell into disrepair over the years and now the community is chiming in on a plan to redevelop the campus.
They want to create 132 combined units of housing spread out between 3 buildings.
Elvin Caldwell Jr. is a history buff and community liaison for the Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy.
The K-12 school is one of the first charter schools in the state and originally was the day school for the School of the Blind.
Caldwell's done presentations and walking tours about the history of the site, now sharing its story with around 1,000 visitors to date.
"These buildings were dilapidated and they looked bad, being that the former auditorium had water in all the seats," he said.
"You gotta think that it's an environmental thing and we got rodents crawling around campus," said Caldwell.
There are ridges still on the edge of the sidewalks, remnants of the school that's been closed now for 25 years.
"These ridges are true to space. They would keep the students on campus," said Caldwell.
Indianapolis based TWG Development wants to preserve some of that history while turning the three buildings left into living space.
"The buildings are bringing back life to the campus. It adds value to the school. It adds value to the neighborhood and also it adds value to that dignified experience that my students get to see when they walk this campus now. They see it's coming back to life. It's an investment where they go to school and where they play at," said Caldwell.
At the center of the campus is the "Abigail" building, which will be turned into a senior living apartment with 42 units. The old high school, where famous alumni Stevie Wonder walked the halls, is also being renovated into 18 senior apartment units.
"We can create that sort of vibe again, not necessarily serving blind students, but serving the needs of our community," said Caldwell.
The Walnut Apartments just across the lawn are already built and housed, although residents in the area say there have been issues.
"Lots of cops. There's been a standoff over there, there have been a couple of dead bodies taken out," said Walter Shiflet who lives nearby.
Shiflet says redevelopment is great for the area but hopes the new building will be different.
"With the Abigail being remodeled because it's been here so long, I hope management gets their act together and controls it better," said Shiflet.
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