From the kitchen of a new apartment in the former Lake Trust Building, a wall of windows provides a dazzling view of downtown Lansing that developers hope will win over potential residents and bring new liveliness to the city.
The two-bedroom apartment on the sixth floor at 501 S. Capitol Ave. is one of 172 units that will be available for lease at the new City View apartment complex this fall. The former Lake Trust building is undergoing a complete renovation and will house 55 units. Its new sister building at 503 S. Capitol Ave. will feature 117 units.
“The room heights are spectacular and the views are amazing,” said Patrick Smith, CEO of WestPac, the California-based developer overseeing the site. “Being able to take advantage of that is really cool.”
The project, which is expected to cost about $31 million when complete, is slated to finish in stages. Apartments at the former Lake Trust building will be available as soon as October. The new building will open in the first quarter of 2023.
The project presented challenges typical of working in older buildings, including more than $1.5 million in asbestos removal and demolition, according to Rocky Shepard, the on-site representative for WestPac.
