Lansing’s historic Glaister House is likely headed for demolition.
The City Rescue Mission of Lansing plans to tear down the nearly 150-year-old structure as it prepares a nearby facility to shelter and feed 300 unhoused adults.
The Queen Anne-style residence will be cleared to make way for a detention pond that will temporarily store rainwater runoff to prevent flooding in the city’s sewer systems.
A group of preservationists who were invited to tour the building agreed that it was largely unsalvageable, according to Laura Grimwood, the Rescue Mission’s Senior Director of Community Engagement.
“I think, for us, having the group tour was very helpful, because in a way we knew, but it was important to give them the opportunity to see what we saw and to see the trouble that we were seeing,” Grimwood said.
Dale Schrader, one of the preservationists who toured the house, said while he thought it was worth preserving the last time he visited in the late 2010s, the structure has deteriorated to a point where he thinks it’s no longer feasible to rescue.
“This trip we made recently, I didn’t see very many things at all of value inside,” Schrader said. “The outside still looks good, but inside it did not really show a lot that was worth salvaging and it was in really pretty bad condition inside.”
The house was originally occupied by Richard Glaister, who led the stonework during construction of the Michigan Capitol.
Historical Society of Greater Lansing President Bill Castanier, who toured the house earlier this year, said that some of the materials Glaister used in his house may have been leftovers from the Capitol’s construction.
“It’s valuable history. It does have some really interesting architectural items that make it special. It’s one of the few houses left in that general area from that time,” Castanier said. “These houses are not going to be built again, so there’s always a sense of loss because of that.”
The house came with property the Rescue Mission purchased last year, though their focus was on two nearby office buildings.
“We haven’t really had it for that long, so it had fallen into disrepair and was unlivable for some time before we even went into the building,” Grimwood said.
Grimwood said concerns about the planned Glaister House demolition may be elevated as the nearby Eastern High School is torn down.
While she said she understands the affinity preservationists may have for the house, it doesn’t have the same level of connection to community members as the former school building.
“I don’t want to deny the historical value of the house,” Grimwood said. “I do have to say, I don’t think it’s as impactful as Eastern, just because, like I said, I’ve lived in this area my entire life, the house was not something I think that was widely known.”
But Schrader said one major difference between the two demolitions is the transparency and care that the Rescue Mission has shown by inviting historians into the house. The group also offered possible solutions, including allowing preservationists to salvage some elements of the structure.
“The difference here is they did invite preservationists in, and we looked and were able to see that,” Schrader said. “Preservationists are reasonable people. When we look at something and say there’s really not much of value, there isn’t.”
Grimwood said the Rescue Mission understands the pain of losing the house, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
“It’s difficult to see it and to say, you know, maybe 10 years ago, 15 years ago, we could’ve done something,” Grimwood said. “I know that it’s really hard. Maybe if we could roll that clock back, it could’ve been a different story.”
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.