In the annals of green design and execution, Lansing holds a place of honor thanks to The Christman Company, the only recipient of double platinum LEED certification in the world awarded for their headquarters building in Downtown Lansing. The Christman Building, formerly the Michigan Millers Building erected by that company in 1928, has been turned into a premier example of environmental sustainability and green building and renovation through the efforts of a company dedicated to the ideals which have sustained it throughout its long and illustrious history.

The Christman Company was established in 1863 by German immigrant Heinrich Christman who began a teamster and excavating service in South Bend, Ind. His core values of honesty and respect for self and others, together with a willingness to work hard, a commitment to continual learning and a confident pride in delivering the best service and product possible have continued to this day. In 1915, the firm established its Lansing headquarters and operated from the same downtown location from 1927 until 2008 when the company moved to its new headquarters, The Christman Building near the Michigan Capitol. Regional offices in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Traverse City and Alexandria, Va. have been added as the organization has grown. Its services include construction management, general contracting, program management, design/build, facilities planning and consulting and real estate development. The Christman Company now includes affiliate service divisions, Christman Capital Investment Group (real estate development division) and Christman Constructors, Inc., a group of over 200 employees providing excavation, demolition, concrete, carpentry and other industrial construction services.

A cataloging of projects expertly realized by The Christman Company would fill volumes. A portfolio complete with descriptions and photographs is available on their website and makes for informative and inspiring reading. Some of their recent local projects include the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, MSU’s Biophysical Sciences Building and the State of Michigan Hall of Justice.

Through the years, the company has made a name for itself in historic renovation and preservation. Locally, projects include the Turner-Dodge Mansion restoration and the $58 million restoration of the Michigan State Capitol Building. Farther afield, they have recently completed the restoration of the Lincoln Cottage, officially called the President Lincoln and Soldiers Home National Monument Lincoln Cottage and Visitor Education Center, in Washington, D.C. The monument includes several structures on 2.3 acres on a rise overlooking the city about three miles north of the U.S. Capitol. President Lincoln and his family used the cottage over a three-year period during his presidency. Like so many of Christman’s projects, this one received LEED certification.

Taking pride of place on their list of projects is The Christman Building. According to sustainable programs manager Gavin Gardi, “Historical buildings are naturally green. And looking at this building before renovation, we could see there was much potential. We went into the project intending to design a great building and used the LEED standards as a checklist as we proceeded. Essentially, what we created is a new building in an old shell.”

While the original Michigan Millers Building was impressive in its day, it had languished for years as a home to various state agencies and businesses not particularly interested in its aesthetic elements. Ceilings had been lowered, rooms divided and sub-divided, walls  covered with drywall and painted over and floors scuffed, discolored and chipped. The integrity of the building was not only compromised by benign neglect, but also by being vacant and decaying for the three years prior to Christman’s purchase.

According to Steve Roznowski, president and CEO, “We had outgrown our previous building and were looking to move. We wanted to maintain our commitment to Lansing by staying in the downtown area. I heard that the old Michigan Millers Building was for sale, and, as soon as I saw it, I knew it was just what we were looking for. We closed on the building in April of 2006, planned the restoration for a year and moved in less than a year after that.

“We were able to use Michigan Miller’s archives to help us visualize what the building had looked like when it was new.”

Today, the building has not only been restored to its former glory, it also has added the cachet of LEED’s top certification. The historic details mesh perfectly with sustainable design to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that Lansing, and indeed all of Michigan, can point to with pride. The lobby walls are covered in Pewabic Pottery tiles (a uniquely Michigan product, made only in Detroit since 1903) in muted colors, with the windows framed in a tribute to the green and white of Michigan State University and the maize and blue of the University of Michigan, their soft sheen and luminous quality a perfect complement to the restored black and white tile stairways and the vibrant blue quarry tiles of the lobby floors. There are iron railings restored to their original luster, walnut floors, soaring ceilings, historic lights restored and upgraded, wood finishes lovingly refurbished and brought back to life and even the historic mailbox and mail chute in the entryway. Outside the building the grindstones of seven Michigan mills are displayed; they were originally set into the sidewalks by the Michigan Millers organization in 1928.

Christman Square, now an atrium in the center of the building, was originally the exterior and retains the windows, bricks and roof parapets as part of the new design. Skylights flood the area with natural light.

What isn’t old, original and/or restored is modern, clean-lined and minimalist. Somehow the two elements live side by side in perfect harmony.

Gardi and Angela Bailey, director of corporate communications, point out the many innovative features. Bailey explained, “Ninety percent of the office spaces have their own natural light and each has individual climate control. All areas have light sensors, so the lights are on only when someone is in the office and they are off when the area is unoccupied. That took some getting used to!”

Gardi mentioned the HVAC system which is an under-floor air distribution system. More efficient as well as more comfortable, it also helps in maintaining air quality. “This is a healthy, vibrant building. We have scored above every measure of air quality,”

Gardi said. “The site itself is a green choice; in the downtown area, it reduces urban sprawl and has access to public transportation. The landscaping is all drought resistant and doesn’t require watering. There are bike racks and designated parking for fuel-efficient vehicles.”

Sustainable highlights include:

Water efficiency

• A 40 percent reduction in drinkable water and sewage usage was achieved by selecting water-efficient plumbing fixtures, faucets and flush valves. 

Energy and atmosphere

• All light fixtures were chosen to provide adequate lighting while minimizing energy usage. Energy savings are calculated to be 27 percent.
• HVAC systems were designed and equipment selected so that energy usage was minimized; each office area has individually controlled air conditioning and heat. Energy savings of 34 percent are projected.
• Renewable energy certificates were purchased to offset the electricity purchased from the utility company with clean wind energy.

Materials and resources

• Seventy percent of all construction waste was reclaimed and recycled.
• Recycled materials were used throughout the projects.
• All wood used in the core and shell project was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council to come from sustainably managed forests.

Indoor environmental quality

• An indoor air quality plan was used, and materials and processes were chosen to reduce any adverse effect to the indoor air quality.

Currently, The Christman Company occupies the lower level and the fourth, fifth and sixth floors. The Michigan Municipal League is the first floor tenant, and Kelley Cawthorne is on the third floor. The second floor is as yet unoccupied.

Next up for The Christman Company? There are lots of projects in the works, but of particular interest to Lansingites, later this year work will begin on the Ottawa Street Power Station which will become the new Accident Fund headquarters. And the odds are good that LEED certification will soon follow. A dedication to quality, a sense of corporate responsibility and community consciousness and an understanding of the vital importance of green design are apparent not only in The Christman Building but also in everything the company does.