Out with the new and in with the old

I had the distinct pleasure of spending a fun-filled afternoon in Lansing’s coolest and hippest district on Saturday – Old Town. A remarkable transition has taken place there in the past few decades, turning Old Town into the place to be.

Revitalized historic buildings, professional offices, trendy bars and retailers, great restaurants, cool housing choices, and hip events are in Old Town.   Situated where Grand River Avenue crosses its namesake at a beautiful location adjacent to the Brenke Fish Ladder and the amazing Lansing River Trail.

The Old Town Commercial Association does a terrific job promoting the district, with superb events taking place throughout the year. These events include:

• Blues Festival
• Chalk of the Town
• Festival of the Sun (and Moon)
• Lansing JazzFest
• Oktoberfest
• Old Town Dickens Village
• Old Town Farmers Market
• Old Town Scrapfest
• Renegade Theater Festival
• Taste and Tour of Old Town
• Turner Street Outdoor Theater

Thank you to the artists, trend setters, and visionaries (particularly Robert Busby) who saw the potential of Lansing’s Old Town years ago and have turned it into a spectacular part of the region. It is nice to see people rejecting the sterile sameness of suburban sprawl developments by rediscovering and re-invigorating historic neighborhoods and commercial districts. Old Town is just one example of a wonderful trend taking place across the country.

Here are just a few photos taken last weekend.