REO Town
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
REO Town | |
|---|---|
 REO Town district in Lansing, Michigan | |
 Location in the city of Lansing, Michigan | |
| Coordinates: 42°43′01″N 84°33′13″W / 42.7170°N 84.5537°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Ingham |
| Area | |
| 0.624 sq mi (1.62 km2) | |
| Population (2009) | |
| 1,989 | |
| • Density | 3,190/sq mi (1,230/km2) |
| • Metro | 454,044 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 48910, 48912, 48933 |
| Area code | 517 |
| Website | reotown.com |
| REO Town @ city-data.com[1] | |
REO Town is a district in Lansing, Michigan, United States, located south of downtown. The neighborhood is bordered by West Malcolm X Street to the north; South Cedar Street BL I-96 to the east; West Mount Hope Avenue to the south; and Townsend Street, the Grand River, and South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the west.[1]
Considered the birthplace of the commercial automobile in the US,[2] REO Town is named after Ransom Eli Olds, an automobile pioneer, for whom both the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named.[3]
In addition to a commercial corridor along South Washington Avenue, REO Town includes three neighborhoods: Fabulous Acres, Moores Park,[4] and River Point.[5]
The area now known as REO Town started off as a road and a handful of building in 1847, with the centerpiece being a hotel called the Benton House opening 1848.[6]
The REO Motor Car Company began producing automobiles along South Washington Avenue in REO Town in 1904 or 1905, depending on the source[7]. The town built up around the company. Reo stopped making cars in 1936 as a result of the Great Depression, but continued to make trucks. Reo was bought out in 1958 by White Motor Corporation, and production ended in 1975.[8] At this point the town began to fail.[9]
REO Town had a football team, the REO City Athletes.[10]
The town had its own band in the 1940s. The REO City Band was formed in November 1944. The first concert was January 1945.[11]
The REO Town Commercial Association was formed in 2003 to encourage businesses and residential growth in the area.[7]
July 2004 saw the centennial celebration of REO Town.[8]
In July 2010, the Lansing Board of Water & Light announced plans to construct a $182 million natural gas-powered electric and steam generation plant along Washington Avenue in REO Town. Plans called for the renovation and reuse of the former Grand Trunk railroad station,[12] and January 2011 they bought 5.3 acres for the plant on South Washington Avenue, which included the abandoned Grand Trunk lot.[13] Construction began that May.[14] 46 local companies were involved in the construction of the plant.[13] The eight-story facility moved 180 jobs upon its opening in January 2013.[15] The cogeneration power plant became operational on July 1, 2013.[16]
In August 2010, the former Deluxe Inn was transformed into an outdoor urban graffiti art exhibit. The planned event attracted approximately 25 artists. The defunct motel, at the north end of REO Town, was demolished in September 2010 and is currently a large grassy lot.[17][18][19]
In August 2011, Lansing received a $326,100 federal transportation grant to help pay for a $2.1 million streetscape project along Washington Avenue in REO Town.[20][21]
