By Gretchen Millich
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-904503.mp3
Lansing, MI –
Work is starting at the former Michigan School for the Blind to put one of the old buildings back into use. The Greater Lansing Housing Coalition is renovating the library for what they're calling a "Neighborhood Empowerment Center". The center will house offices for the Coalition, along with the Ingham County Land Bank and the City of Lansing.
Katherine Draper is director of the Coalition. She says residents will be able to come to one central location for help with housing issuus, "Sometimes people are intimidated by having to go downtown into a huge office building, up on the tenth floor and find a person to answer a question for them. This is going to be a casual environment where people can come in and there will always be someone there to answer their question and steer them in the right direction."
The Center will also include classrooms for the Head Start program. Draper says the renovation will be completed by the end of the year.
Funding for the project comes from the City of Lansing, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Ingham County Land Bank.