LANSING - The city's skyline will get a little more crowded by July 2005, when a new nine-story office tower and parking deck will be completed by the building trades and Clark Construction Co.

Less than a month on the job, building trades workers are moving dirt and drilling holes for foundations for the $51 million project, located across the street from the western side of the state Capitol Building.

"Right now we're involved in earth retention, drilling down to about 60 feet to limestone, and pouring concrete caissons," said Ken Stephenson, project superintendent for Clark. "So far, the weather has been good, and we've had no problems."

At one time the site of a YMCA, and then a parking lot for state senators at Capitol and Allegan streets, the Boji Complex is another symbol of an increasingly revitalized downtown area. The downtown area hasn't looked this good in years, business is pretty good, and additional parking is needed. The new parking structure will provide space for approximately 1,450 vehicles.

The first floor of the new office building, with approximately 18,000 square feet of the building's 150,000 square foot total area, will be devoted to retail development. The building is expected to accommodate more than 500 downtown Lansing workers.

The Boji Complex will include high-tech amenities like fiber optic cabling, broadband high speed internet access and teleconferencing rooms available to all tenants. The ground floor will include retail, a coffee shop, drug store and restaurant.

"This new building and parking facility is the first of many great things that will be happening in downtown Lansing over the next several years," said Ron Boji, member of the Boji Group L.L.C.

SIXTY-FOOT holes are drilled by a crew of building trades workers begining work on the Boji Complex foundation, being built west of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing. Many of the holes are saturated with ground water and need to be pumped out. Operating the Manitowac 3900 at center is Roger Liebman of Local 324. Working with him are contractor Steve Rohrs, laborer Declan O'Rourke and at right, pile driver Brian Vesey.

THE BOJI COMPLEX: here's how the office tower and parking deck will look in the summer of 2005.