An historic corner in downtown Lansing has been revitalized. Tomorrow is the grand re-opening of the Knapp's Centre. The event caps a $36-million redevelopment of the five-story art deco structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building, which first opened as a department store in 1939, was purchased by the East Lansing-based Eyde Company in 1983. Today, the mixed use building, which is considered a leading example of “streamline moderne” architecture, contains 190,000 square feet of floor space.
Its main distinction, then and now, is its iconic blue and yellow exterior, which has been totally redone.
Current State speaks with two key figures in its redevelopment. Nick Eyde has been the Project Manager for Eyde Development, and the lead architect on the Knapps Centre project and others in downtown Lansing, Elisabeth Knibbe of Quinn Evans Architects.
