6031 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Sitting at this address are the remains of Maple Grove Elementary School. A beautiful, colorful mural faces the street. But get past the main thoroughfare and the former school is derelict. It’s covered in graffiti, the windows are boarded up. The grass is long but matted by a mush of sleet and show. 

The property was purchased by Kingdom of Life Church, 4303 MLK Jr., in 2012, according to city property records. It’s been subjected to numerous citations for grass and weeds, multiple board-up orders and trash. Electrical work was finalized by the city in January. 

Founding Pastor Coye Bouyer said the church would like to tear the building down because “it is an eyesore.” Tearing the property down, however, could easily cost $360,000 or more because there is asbestos in the building. If the funds can be raised, he would like to see a community center or a park replace the grounds. 

The school, which once served more than 200 pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade, operated for just 21 years, from 1995 to 2006 — one of a dozen or so schools the Lansing School District has shuttered for lack of funds and declining enrollment.