Boji Tower Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Boji Tower
Boji Tower as seen looking west over Allegan Street
General information
Type	Office
Location	124 West Allegan Street, Lansing, Michigan, USA
Construction started	1929
Completed	1931
Height
Antenna spire	110.9 m (364 ft)
Roof	90.5 m (297 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	23 above ground & 2 underground
Floor area	185,188.77 sq ft (17,204.600 m²)
Design and construction
Architect	Hopkins & Dentz

Capital Bank Tower
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Location	124 West Allegan Street, Lansing, Michigan
Area	less than one acre
Built	1931
Architect	Hopkins and Dentz; Builder: Hutter Construction Co.
Architectural style	Art Deco, Skyscraper
MPS	Downtown Lansing MRA
NRHP reference No.	05001357
Added to NRHP	December 6, 2005

The Boji Tower, also known as the Michigan National Bank Building, is a historic 23-story building located at 124 Allegan Street, in Lansing, Michigan. It has been the tallest building in Lansing since its completion in 1931. On December 6, 2005, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Capital Bank Tower.

History
Description
Photo gallery
See also

History

The tower was originally constructed as the Olds Tower, named after the automotive industrialist, Ransom Eli Olds, who was the main financier of the tower project, assisted by Edmund C. Shields of the local law firm of Thomas Shields & Silsbee. Shortly thereafter it was renamed Capital National Bank Tower, after the bank that Ransom Eli Olds helped form. The cornerstone was laid on November 14, 1929.

It became the Michigan National Bank Tower in 1954, and held that name until 2001 when Standard Federal Bank purchased Michigan National Bank. At the request of Standard Federal, the owners of the tower removed the historic neon 'Michigan National' sign in that year. After four-and-a-half years without a name, the Boji family, a father and son development team of Iraqi descent who owned the tower since 1998, renamed it the Boji Tower in 2005.

The tower has been through one major expansion which occurred between 1965 and 1967, which include the addition of an 11-story annex built directly adjacent to the front of the tower. The tower has undergone multiple minor renovations since 1998 under the Boji Group's ownership. In November 2007, the building's original antenna tower for WITL-FM was replaced via helicopter with a new antenna for WJZL.

Description

At 23 stories, and 297 feet (91 m), the brick and limestone-faced tower, with its tall, narrow profile topped with a spire and beacon, is a typical American skyscraper design of the Art Deco era of high-rise architecture. It includes four engraved panels in the portals of the main passenger elevators that reflect themes of labor and industry. The tower's facade consists of 654,000 bricks of 17 different colors. The building is occupied by a mix of office, retail, and government tenants. The two-story former banking lobby is now used as the main hearing room for the Michigan Senate.

The sculpture on the building, including the doors, was created by Ulysses Ricci.