LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Construction may be delayed on a project to turn Eastern High School into a mental health facility after University of Michigan Health Sparrow announced months ago that they may demolish the 100-year-old building to make way for a proposed $95 million facility that will force people to decide between mental health and history.
“I don't support a resolution to study or declare it as a historic district because we've had 12 years to do it and it only happened when we had a plan to do something different,” Lansing City Councilman Peter Spadafore said.
The high school has been closed since 2019. The city sold the property to the University of Michigan Sparrow in 2016. Lansing's Historic District Commission is considering building the facility and demolishing Eastern.
“The Historic District Commission is moving forward and is working on developing language to present to the City Council to study Eastern High School as a historic district,” said Ward 1 Councilman Ryan Cost.
If the study committee determines Eastern is a landmark and gets the City Council's backing, the University of Minnesota Sparrow Hospital would have to shift about $100 million elsewhere.
“If that committee is formed and the language in it includes a moratorium, then certainly property owners would have to comply with it,” said Laurie Van Fosse, economic development and planning director for the city of Lansing.
Councilman Cost, who chairs the committee to preserve Historic Eastern, also promotes mental health needs in Lansing and has been vocal about potentially saving the building, but has since been forced to back down.
“At the end of the day, Sparrow College of Michigan has made it clear that the project will not move forward even if the Historic District has its eye on the building, and I cannot stand in the way of badly needed mental health care. I wish things had turned out differently,” Councilman Cost said.
University of Michigan Health Sparrow has created a webpage about the project, stating, “University of Michigan Health Sparrow has a commitment and plans to improve access for our neighbors in need by constructing a new 120-bed behavioral health facility adjacent to our expansion campus, which includes the former Eastern High School. These plans are subject to approval by the state and the University of Michigan Board of Regents.”
“The old EHS building, with its aging infrastructure and layout, is neither appropriate nor feasible for the state-of-the-art behavioral health hospital our community deserves. We understand many people feel attached to EHS, and we will continue to honor its traditions and work with the community as we advance the UM Health-Sparrow campus and ensure we can provide these and other life-saving services to the community well into the future.”
The Historic District Commission plans to present a completed resolution to the City Council by its meeting on Sept. 9. It won't be voted on by the City Council until at least a meeting after that.
Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to recruit, advertise and grow your business? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more here.
Copyright 2024 WILX. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
