Delta Dental Plaza to include outdoor fireplace, 'lighted forest'

Vickki Dozier
Lansing State Journal
A rendering of proposed upgrades to the downtown riverfront near the City Market.

LANSING — A "lighted forest," beach and outdoor fireplace area will be part of Lansing's riverfront by this coming spring.

Construction on the new Delta Dental Plaza, in the new Rotary Park, is slated to begin this winter. The park will stretch from the Lansing Center to the Shiawassee Street Bridge.

The plaza will include shaded seating with "shade sails," an outdoor fireplace, planters, string lighting and public seating.

The Community Foundation received a $250,000 pledge from Delta Dental to sponsor the plaza in the park. The Foundation will match the gift for a total of $500,000.

A rendering of the riverfront plaza at Rotary Park. The plaza will house shaded seating, an outdoor fireplace, planters and lighting for the community to join together and enjoy downtown’s culture.

"There's also a venue under the bridge called 'the hub.' It's very creative, lighting up underneath the bridge for miniature concerts," said Laurie Baumer, executive vice president and projects coordinator for the Community Foundation..

"On the other side of the plaza, right next to the river is a grand staircase and that’s a huge cement seating area that goes all the way to the river."

Baumer says they're working on a sponsor for the beach and hope to be able to announce that soon. The lighted forest is sponsored by Auto-Owners Insurance.

"We also want to help beef up the Rivertown Adventures area, where the kayaks are, so that area looks better and is more accessible," Baumer said.

The park is named for the Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation, who made the first big gift of $400,000.

The proposed Rotary Park in downtown Lansing would have a "lighted forest" feature.

To date, the Foundation has received commitments totaling $850,000 for riverfront development projects. In addition to Delta Dental, Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation and Auto-Owner’s Insurance, contributors include Gillespie Group, Team Lansing Foundation/Lansing Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, four individual contributors and in-kind support from the Lansing Board of Water and Light.

These contributions will be matched dollar for dollar by the Foundation, for a total so far of $1.7 million. Foundation funding for the riverfront and other place making projects comes from the Foundation’s Leadership Fund, apart from its regular grant making dollars.

"It’s going to be premium," Baumer said. "It will be a beautiful park when it’s all done."

Contact Vickki Dozier at (517) 267-1342 or vdozier@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickkiD.