The Eckert Power Plant — arguably Lansing, Michigan‘s most iconic building, besides the Capitol itself — could get repurposed by a developer into one of the most dynamic, one-of-a-kind mixed-use projects in the state.
The Lansing Board of Water & Light officials told the Lansing State Journal this week that the coal-burning Eckert Power Plant — known for its triple smokestacks nicknamed Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod — could be revitalized after it goes offline, which is expected to happen by 2020.
“We’ve believe it’s more valuable standing to a developer,” said BWL General Manager Dick Peffley, who has nearly 40 years of experience with the city-owned utility. “Even the stacks could play a part of that.”
The Eckert plant is by far the biggest emitter of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, mercury, carbon dioxide and sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides in the tri-county area of Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties, according to the EPA, dwarfing polluters such as GMs Grand River and Delta plants and even BWLs own Erickson plant.
Fed up with years of delays by the Lansing Board of Water and Light to retire the Eckert Power Station, local activists successfully lobbied to close the 60-year-old facility.