Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-12-08
MEN STATE OFFICES
The State Has Provided New Offices
For Some Departments.
WASH. AND ALLEGAN STATES
The Plan Is TO Relieve the Crowded Condition
OF the State Capitol al a Minimum Expense.

The State block, corner Of Washing
ton avenue and Allegan street at Lam
sing is to be remodeled into a fine
Office building for state departments.
Believing that an addition 10 the
capitol will hardly be provided for
at the coming session of the legisla-
ture, the board OF state auditors will
make more room in the present struc-
ture by moving some of the present
Offices to the state block.
The improvements will cost con-
siderable money and when completed
will greatly improve the appearance
of that now dark and gloomy corner.
The Lansing Business Mems assoc
citation will be compelled to move its
Offices which have for four years been
so generously provided by the state,
and the loss TO the association of this
convenient corner will be keenly felt
The state military department and
museum will occupy the entire first
floor of the downtown building when
the improvements are concluded, and
the quarters now occupied by the mill
tary department will be occupied by
the attorney generals department.
Such is the plan, in brief that has
been evolved by the state board of
auditors to relieve the crowded
capitol building until the legislature
provides permanent quarters by the
building of an addition to the capitol
or state office building.
The state military department and
the military museum are to be moved
from their quarters in the capitol to
the state block at the corner of Wash
ington avenue and Allegan street after
that building has been transformed
into a fine office building, in order TO
make room for other departments in
the capitol. This is the plan which
the board of state auditors has worked
out in an effort to relieve the crowded
conditions in the statehouse, and it
calls for the REIMBURSEMENT by the
! Lansing Business Mems association OF
the Offices which they have occupied
in the state block for about four years
AS a result of the shift in the mill
tary department the attorney generals
department will be removed from the
third floor to the military quarters on
the main floor in the south wing OF the
capitol. This will allow for offices for
justices of the supreme court in those
rooms now occupied by the attorney
general, change much needed it is
pointed out as some OF the justices
have been occupying Offices in the gar
ret and two of them are quartered in
committee rooms of the house of rep
resentatives which would result in
their being without quarters when the
legislature convenes the first of the
year.
The improvements at the state
block are to be started at once. The
entire first floor of the building will be
given up to the military department
and the museum, changes being made
in the stores to transform them into
fine offices. while necessary repairs
and improvements will be made in the
upper two floors and an elevator in
stalled for the convenience OF the de-
partments located there and the pub
lie which has business with the Off
Gals
As now outlined, it is expected that
the adjutant generals Office will be
located in the corner store where the
business mems offices are at present,
with the rear end of that store lifted
! l. IL,
ing south in which the vault is locat-
ed, will be used for the Offices of the
quartermaster's department and the
store rooms will remain as they are,
all the space in the basement being
turned over to the military as well.
The board of auditors will also urge
the senate not to ask the banking de
partment to give up the room at the
north end OF the senate chamber
which has been used by the depart
ment during the time the legislature
was not in session. The department is
crowded for room as at present locat-
ed.
These changes will undoubtedly be
called to the attention of the legisla-
ture and are expected to renew the
agitation relative 10 either an addi-
ton to the capitol or the erection of
building on one Of the state blocks.
1t is pointed out that as pure matter
Of economy the state should provide
the additional building as the rentals
that are now paid annually for offices
for state departments reaches a very
large sum in the aggregate