Farnum Bldg & City Hall. Lansing City Hall has been in the works to sell to the State (either directly or as a lease through a private buyer) for years back into the Hollister as Mayor era. (You remember Hollister's quote in the Lansing State Journal back then about Lansing City Hall:  "Clunky old, junky old, City Hall." Based on Richardville's quote, it sounds like a tear down and new building for the Senate, something like the building of the new House Office Building and State Police building downtown. 

I recall back in the '90s when fiber optic or something similar was being installed at/around City Hall under Hollister's administration, the City included an actual easement through City Hall basement of wire going to the State - - an easement that runs with the land rather than a revocable license - - which certainly was a signal of their certainty that the State would ultimately be the next owner of Lansing City Hall. In addition to the easement, other hocus-pocus sales features will include the better view of the Capitol for individual offices, and proximity to the House Office building (in the former Board of Water Light building that is connected to City Hall).   

I would expect Ferguson and Granger to be intermediaries (in their usual approach of appealing to both sides of the aisle) in some financial fashion for transfer of City Hall to the State that is foolish for the taxpayers on both sides. No idea about plans in store for the Farnum building but I wouldn't be surprised if this, too, winds up in the hands of Ferguson and Granger, now or delayed until after a decent period after the State moves into new digs. 

No idea on where it is that the City wants to buy/remodel/build - - they will surely want something more modern and with more on-site parking (one possibility hanging over from the Hollister era has been the city's square block bounded by Capitol, Ionia, Seymour and Shiawassee and across from a City ramp). 

Wouldn't it be something if Ferguson and Granger wind up being intermediaries in both buildings, too? In both instances, the taxpayers will take it in the ear to buy and sell buildings and to "fix"them up as palaces for both State and city governments. 

Interesting, isn't it how elected officials responsible for buildings owned by their governmental jurisdiction act like lousy slumlords who fail to take care of their buildings and then whine about their condition, mumbling about condemnation and then, like welfare tenants, want to leave their building and expect the taxpayers to provide them with a new and different palace. Really tiresome.   

Stephanie Whitbeck

 