[msb-alumni] Re: Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the Blind
- From: "Robert Spear" <rsvs80@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2014 20:36:58 -0700
Thank goodness the walls couldn’t talk. Many great memories for sure.
From: msb-alumni-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:msb-alumni-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Peggy
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 7:28 PM
To: msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [msb-alumni] Re: Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the
Blind
Hi Bob,
I find all of this so interesting. The more stories you guys all tell about the
school and your experiences there I am more intrigued by it all. I started
there in the fall of 1966-67 and as I said before, I graduated in June of 1970.
So did they tear down the gym too? I remember many bowling sessions and sitting
in the pits, resetting pins and sending the balls back and nearly getting hit
by a ball or two a time or two. I also remember working out in the matt room
the summer we were at cheerleading camp. Well we girls did work out, but we
also sat on the matts and just talked about boys and all that other girl stuff.
We sure all had some great times there didn’t we? And it was always great to go
to the stand after school for social hour, and taste that cold pop and munch
away on those chips or candy bars ect. an chat with friends. I remember I ran
that stand for a while and kind’ve enjoyed it. I think we did that in our
junior year and I remember in my senior year, I got a job as switchboard
operator and Sandy Penman (Shimmun) and Larry Yanchus also worked the board on
the weekends that I didn’t. Larry was the alternate who filled in when Sandy or
I couldn’t work a particular weekend.
When the switchboard was turned on in the health center during the weekend
shift, I would work Saturday nights and Sunday mornings and I remember how Miss
Pez would be so kind as to bring me a big slice of her pound cake. She was a
pretty cool nurse. I liked Mrs. Anderson too.
From: Robert Spear <mailto:rsvs80@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 9:38 PM
To: msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [msb-alumni] Re: Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the
Blind
I started in the 1962 1963 school year I think anyway. The first year they
opened Andy cottage other than Blair those were the only 2 cottages. The others
wasn’t even built until after that. The gym was open that year also I believe.
I find it interesting that the oldest building on the campus is the one they
are saving. The main building. All I can say it is a shame & very sad.
From: msb-alumni-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:msb-alumni-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Fred Wurtzel
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 4:52 PM
To: msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [msb-alumni] Re: Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the
Blind
Hi,
I agree with all those who talk about our extended family. I’m still very sad
to know what is happening. Some blind kids get good educations in their home
districts, while others are truly suffering for lack of good role models, lack
of Braille books and ignorance of blindness.
I also think it is interesting that the cottages weren’t there when I got there
and are already gone. Our Boy Scout troop camped out there where Long House
used to be. I wonder about our values as a society to think of such waste.
Warmest Regards,
Fred
From: msb-alumni-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:msb-alumni-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Jim in Detroit
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 7:18 PM
To: msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [msb-alumni] Re: Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the
Blind
I didn’t even finish reading that article; it was pitiful.
From: Chris Rasmussen <mailto:chrisnzella@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: April 04, 2014 08:49
To: msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [msb-alumni] Re: Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the
Blind
Now I know I don’t want to even go by the campus. This is so sad for all of us
who have many many memories of our time at M S B. I have an old yearbook that
has many pictures be they black and white of the campus around 1969 or 70.
Thanks for sharing this Steve.
Chris Rasmussen
From: Steve <mailto:pipeguy920@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2014 10:02 PM
To: msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [msb-alumni] Demolition Underway at Former Michigan School for the
Blind
Well, if there isn't enough downer news on this list lately. Here's more...
Demolition underway on campus of Lansing's former Michigan School for the Blind
. LANSING - Demolition has begun on what was once a dining hall at the Michigan
School for the Blind. A maintenance building will come next and then the
"cottages," squat brick buildings that once served as dormitories. The
27,000-square-foot auditorium built in the 1950s is also on the list, though
its destruction might still be averted. Tom Edmiston, senior vice president for
Great Lakes Capital Fund, a nonprofit that owns the more elegant structures on
the site, described the work as "demolition and clearance, kind of making the
campus available for redevelopment. Redevelopment has been slow in coming. The
Lansing campus of the School for the Blind closed in the fall of 1995 and the
few remaining students were moved to Flint. Much of the campus has been idle
since. The Ingham County Land Bank, which owns much of the campus, renovated
the historic 6,000-square-foot superintendent's house in 2009. It's now
oc'cup'ied by Rizzi Designs. The former library became the Greater Lansing
Housing Coalition's Neighborhood Empowerment Center in 2010. But the
century-old administration building and former high school building have lain
fallow. Edmiston said Great Lakes Capital does have a purchase agreement on the
administration building, rechristened The Abigail, from a developer who wants
to use it for affordable housing. The project is contingent on assistance from
the state. The state is funding the demolition work though a $1.8 million
blight removal grant. The grant was approved last year, but "it's taken this
long to get all the necessary pieces of paper together that the state needed
before they would release funds," Edmiston said. There is still time, not much
though, to save the auditorium. "If we got any serious offers for the
auditorium as is, then we wouldn't proceed with the demolition," Edmiston said.
But the window is probably no longer than six weeks. "Given fact that we
haven't heard anything for several years now about interest in the auditorium,
it's hard to imagine that someone would step forward at this point," Edmiston
said.
Tum podem extulit horridulum
Steve
Lansing, Pure MI
P.S. Look up the Latin translation of that signature on Google, it really sums
up things right now, lol.
Jim in Detroit
James A. Prather
Central Michigan University: 1980
Michigan School for the Blind: 1974
"Fire Up Chips"
"Ungh, ungowa, Raiders still Got the Power!"
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