$325,000 Homeowner Investment Turns Historic Homes into First Lansing B&B

Lansing homeowner and long time real-estate agent Diane Sanborn has always shared her beautiful, historic 1906 home with visitors, but this year she transformed it and a neighboring house into Lansing’s first bed and breakfast.

In September, Sanborn opened the Cozy Koi Bed and Breakfast on Seymour Avenue in Downtown Lansing.

The main house was built in 1906. Sanborn bought it in 1988 and restored the building for about $125,000. The entire house, including the third floor where Sanborn lives, has beautiful original oak floors.

This year she bought a neighboring, dilapidated, moldy, five-unit rental that was built in 1896, completely restored it to the tune of $200,000 and turned it into the cottage portion of her bed and breakfast.

“My neighbors love me, absolutely love me for doing this,” says Sanborn who notes that business has been good.

She’s hosted a lot of out-of-state and out-of-country travelers. She even rents two rooms to monthly borders who work in Lansing.

“This is a destination and it’s an attribute to Downtown and it’s an attribute to Old Town,” Sanborn said.

Source: Diane Sanborn, Cozy Koi Bed and Breakfast

Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

 

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