LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Six Michigan preservation projects, including one in Lansing, have received the Governor’s Awards for Historic Preservation.
Among the honorees is the rehabilitation of the former Walter French School, which has been redeveloped into the Residences at Walter French in Lansing.
Built in 1925, the school once served as a modern educational facility for students in south Lansing. After closing in 2004, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, marking the start of a years-long adaptive reuse effort.
Beginning in 2023, the structure was renovated into 76 affordable apartment units while preserving historic features such as terrazzo floors, large windows and wide stairways. The project also includes office and commercial space and an on-site child care center. The development opened in September 2025 and is now fully occupied…