Eye candy of the week

Property: 119 S. Magnolia Ave. Magnolia Street Substation Lansing

Located within the yellow brick walls of this simple building, the industrial equipment used by the Lansing Board of Water & Light transforms electrical voltage from high to low, making it available for local distribution. Most often, such equipment is left exposed, unsightly, and particularly unappreciated when sited near homes and businesses.

While not as remarkable as its counterpart on Forbes Street (Eye Candy of the Week in November 2009) this building is still impressive. The plain exterior is highlighted with limestone details, including a particularly heavy cap element. Executed in a stripped-down version of the Art Deco style, the facade is split into tripartite divisions. In fact, this divisioning is carried out at in diminishing scales, beginning with the entire façade, then the central section and finally the stone panel surrounding the entry. Even the windows are massed in groups of three, with each division reinforcing the vertical sense of this wide building.

When the substation was constructed, it was not unusual for utilitarian civic buildings to be given extravagant treatments. As a result, it makes a much better match for its Eastside neighbors. The building recalls an earlier era, when civic pride trumped economics.

“Eye candy of the Week” is our weekly look at some of the nicer properties in Lansing. It rotates each with Eyesore of the Week. If you have a suggestion, please e-mail eye@lansingcitypulse.com or call Berl Schwartz at 517-5061.