According to Lansing's founding myth, two brothers invented a fictional town called “Biddle City” and sold plots of land there to 16 New Yorkers, who only discovered they had been scammed after arriving there a year later. The myth states that those original residents persevered and established their own city. While this fiction may ruffle historians, it reveals a spirit of perseverance that citizens of Lansing identify with to this day. Over the past two centuries, Lansing has evolved into a capital city where suburban streets are within a few miles of manufacturers, Michigan State University and two major hospitals. While the city has come a long way over the past two centuries, it has had its ups and downs as well, namely a decline in its economy. Lansing’s economic troubles can be attributed to its deindustrialization during the 1970s, a decline in tax revenue during the Great Recession, a general decline in state revenue during the 2000s and early 2010s and an ongoing labor shortage. To help address the labor shortage, Lansing is bringing in new people by resettling thousands of refugees. Despite these efforts, the population has remained steady for the past couple of decades. With roughly 110,000 residents, Lansing's population has shrunk by about 20,000 residents since its peak in the 1970s. In part because of the decline in population, it's easy to get around. “It’s a very convenient place to live because everything you need is close by,” says Barbra Roll-Wyzga, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Professionals who sells homes in the city. Beyond downtown, most of the neighborhoods are mad up of single-family housing.
Even though it has had a recent history of deindustrialization, there are still several industries within the city. Some of Lansing’s top employers include manufacturers like General Motors and Peckham Incorporated. Michigan State University also employs over 11,000 residents. Since the downtown is home to Michigan’s capital, there are state several government offices that collectively employ over 13,800 people. The city’s median income is in line with the state median but falls slightly behind the national median.
An aerial overview of the wooded residential streets of Wexford Heights.
The South Lansing Trail running through Wexford Heights.
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Older single-family homes
Homes range in price from $60,000 to $350,000, with a median price of $150,000. Lansing’s median is $100,000 less than Michigan’s median and about $250,000 less than the national median. “A lot of the houses need upgrades because they are older,” says Realtor Frank Jajou, who sells homes in the city with Real Estate One Troy. “There are some vacant lots, but not really any new subdivisions.” Much of the housing dates back to the early 20th century, but most of the single-family homes can be traced to the 1940s through the ‘70s when Lansing’s population hit its peak. Condos can be found downtown, while most of the neighborhoods beyond the downtown are populated with bungalows, cape cods, ranch styles and American Foursquares. On the outskirts of the city, there are some new contemporary styles. Many parts of the city are prone to flooding.
A nice example of one of many colonial style homes common to Wexford Heights.
A beautiful ranch style home mixed in with majority colonial styles in Wexford Heights.
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Potter Park Zoo and several greenspaces
Lansing has a humid continental climate with moderate to heavy snowfall and humid summers. Residents enjoy these seasons at the city’s dozens of greenspaces that range from neighborhood parks with playgrounds to sprawling parks with baseball fields, basketball courts and tennis courts. The greenspaces are used for everything from casual recreation to outdoor community theater and live concerts. There are several outdoor skate rinks. The Lansing River Trail connects the public parks that line the Grand River and the Red Cedar River. The parks have sports fields, playgrounds and canoe launches. The trail also connects to Potter Park Zoo, which has three lions, five tigers and two black rhinos.
The city is currently renovating some existing parks and building a $3.2 million on a playground for people with disabilities.
Bridge at River Point Park crossing the Red Cedar River in the Reo Town neighborhood.
A section of the Lansing River Trail winding through Benjamin Davis Park near Wexford Heights.
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International cuisine and several malls
“The downtown is improving,” Jajou says. “Newer restaurants and businesses have been coming.” In view of the capitol, Tavern and Tap serves craft brews and American fare. Just down the street, The New Daily Bagel is a neighborhood deli that prepares fresh sandwiches. Lansing also has plenty of international options, such as Kin Thai and ChouPli Wood-Fired Kabob. On Lansing's west side along Waverly Way, there are various sit-down franchise eateries as well as local options. The city is home to three malls: Eastwood Towne Center, Meridian and Lansing Mall. These malls have movie theaters and several stores, such as JCPenney, Macy’s and Banana Republic.
The main retail store in the Edgewood Town Center mall is Target.
The Lansing Mall is anchored by the JC Penny's department store in Delta Township.
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Public schools where applications are required
The Lansing Public School District has a C-minus Niche rating. The district underperforms compared to national averages in regard to reading and math. Because of the district’s school choice policy, parents must apply for their children to attend any school, and they are encouraged to choose the school closest to their home. The district’s 25 diverse campuses serve over 10,000 students in the community, making the school district the fifth largest in the state. Lansing Public Schools also offer magnet school options in STEM, Chinese and Spanish immersion programs and a Montessori specialty school.
Michigan State University, located in East Lansing, is central to the area’s culture. This institution serves nearly 50,000 students and offers over 200 academic programs.
Artistic Averill Woods children can attend the Dwight Rich School of the Arts.
Averill New Tech Elementary in Averill Woods has a student-to-teacher ratio of 15-1.
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Michigan State sporting events, a planetarium and a state history museum
Sporting events at Michigan State University are a major source of entertainment. The school's athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division I. Michigan State’s basketball teams play at the Breslin Center, which holds over 14,700 fans. The campus is also home to the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden and the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, which hosts Broadway shows. Outside of the campus, there are several other options. The Lansing Lugnuts, a Minor League ball team, plays games at Jackson Field. Abrams Planetarium features digital projections of the universe, and the Michigan History Center tells the story of the state from the Ice Age up to the late 20th century.
For over 60 years, the school has hosted winter and spring arts and crafts shows that draw hundreds of vendors and thousands of patrons.
Getting around Lansing
Due to its access to several major thoroughfares and public transit, the city’s commute time is less than the national average. Lansing offers direct access to roadways like Interstate 96, Interstate 69 and Highway 127. “It’s easy to get around, and there’s good public transportation,” Jajou says. The Capital Area Transportation Authority has 33 bus routes throughout the city, and Capitol Region International Airport is on the city’s north end.
McLaren Greater Lansing has 240 acute care beds, and University of Michigan Health – Sparrow Lansing has 733 beds.
Crime
Lansing’s violent crime rate is above state and national averages and has remained relatively stable over the past two decades. The property crime rate has steadily decreased over the past two decades but remains above the state and national averages.
Before jumping head first into real estate, Kevin DeVergilio was a Professional Hockey Player in both the AHL as well as several leagues in Europe. Before that he played hockey in New York where he attended St. Lawrence University. So, what made him decide to become a Realtor? Kevin already had an interest in real estate, but it was the high energy and the locker room and team environment that REALTEAM had to offer that pulled him in. The mass of training resources and support from the team has kept him motivated every day! Kevin brings his hard work and discipline that led him to victories on the ice to each and every transaction with his clients. They can expect honesty, hard work, a great line of communication, and a winning attitude when looking to buy or sell a home. Kevin prides himself on "wins small or big, with an end goal of success and to win the beneficial outcome for my clients." Outside of the office, Kevin enjoys time at home cooking alongside his beautiful wife and his son Luca, playing fetch with his dog Milo, and working on perfecting his golf game!
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
