Guest Writer: Jay Krammes
The Masonic Temple Building at 217 South Capitol Avenue was completed in 1924 and stands a few blocks from the Michigan State Capitol. The seven-story structure, designed in the Classical Revival style by Lansing architect Edwyn A. Bowd, was built to bring Lansing’s growing Masonic membership under one downtown roof.
By: Kristen Matthews (via WITL 100.7FM)
Lansing has enjoyed some pretty warm days recently, but of course the weather would inevitably get cold again. What did you expect? It is Michigan after all.
Honestly though, the cooler weather will be the perfect pairing for Downtown Lansing’s Brrr Crawl this weekend.
The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) unveiled a special Rosa Parks Tribute Bus on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in Downtown Lansing as part of events honoring the civil rights icon and Transit Equity Day, which coincides with her birthday.
By Mike Ellis (via Lansing City Pulse)
You’d expect to find a tie-dye shop in Old Town, REO Town or East Lansing.
But downtown Lansing?
Laura Castle has been running the downtown shop Capital Hippie for almost four years, plus six months beforehand at the also-downtown Middle Village Market.
“I must just love to struggle,” she said, “because I would make more money in REO Town, I’d make way more money in Old Town, and forget about East Lansing. It could even be like a winter business, open two days a week.”
The Bank of Lansing Building, located at 101 North Washington Square in Downtown Lansing, was constructed in 1931–1932 and opened during the Great Depression. Built during a wave of early-1930s downtown commercial development, the building was part of broader construction activity in Lansing’s city center at the time. It joined other major financial buildings of the era, including the nearby Boji Tower (originally the Capital Bank Tower), as downtown Lansing’s skyline continued to take shape.
This month’s Volunteer of the Month recently stepped into the Promotions Committee chair role, helping organize meetings, lead fellow committee members, and highlight the people and places who are part of our Downtown Lansing community.
