The Arbaugh Building

401 S. Washington Ave.
Lansing, Michigan 48933

Year Built: 1922

Architect: Attributed to Edwyn A. Bowd

History

At five floors, this former department store was the tallest building in Lansing when it was built in 1905. It is a classic example of vernacular style architecture which was common in Lansing at the time. It closed in 1972 and was later converted to 48 modern lofts.

In 1905 two former college roommates Basil C. Cameron and Frank N Arbaugh built what can be called the first modern department store after outgrowing the smaller original location which was opened in 1896 by Basil’s uncle. It was good timing since REO Motor and Olds Motor Works were paying their workers weekly and they needed a place to cash checks (other than bars).

The new department store became the tallest in building in Lansing with five floors including a German bakery on the ground floor. It was built with many modern conveniences including central heating, elevators and a vacuum tube system that whisked payments to a central cashier who sent the change back.

In less than five years (1909), Arbaugh bought out Cameron and in 1915 after Arbaugh tore down some ramshackle buildings to the south and built an addition that is seamless taking total square footage to almost 100,000 sq. ft.

After a successful run the store closed in 1972 and became a series of State offices until a local entrepreneur successfully transformed it into more than 48 loft style apartments.

Architecture

The building is a classic example of the vernacular Commercial building style of the late 19th Century and early 20th Century that is common in downtown Lansing. Some ornamental embellishments are now gone but architectural historians say it was influenced by the famous architect, Albert Kahn.