Should a stage be built in Lansing's Old Town? Business leaders are gauging interest.

LANSING — A community stage could be coming to Lansing's Old Town.

But, business leaders want input before they raise an estimated $750,000 for the project.

The Old Town Commercial Association is exploring plans for an outdoor performance venue near the Brenke Fish Ladder at the Grand River. 

Plans are in early stages and it's unclear when the project would be completed, said Vanessa Shafer, executive director of the OTCA, a nonprofit that represents Old Town businesses.

The covered stage could be used for professional acts, but Shafer envisions the space being used most often at the grassroots level.

Local musicians could host jam sessions. A Girl Scout troop could stage a play.

Patrons would make reservations if they needed to to hook up to the stage's electricity, but the space would otherwise be open to impromptu gatherings.

"When we've discussed it, it's been sky's the limit," Shafer said.

What's included in the design?

Architectural plans are still tentative, but renderings submitted by Lansing-based Swanson Design Studios show a trapezoidal stage that could be as small as 33 by 20 feet or as large as 55 by 38 feet.

The design features octagonal pillars and copper roof accents. The pillars would be made of limestone or material that looks like limestone to mimic the composition of the Brenke Fish Ladder.

"We really wanted to mirror the architecture of the buildings in the Old Town neighborhood," said Mary Swanson, architect at Swanson Design Studios. "This is something that would look like part of the community, like it's always been there."

The stage, which faces the Old Town parking lot, would be built on a knoll alongside the Lansing River Trail. Audience members could sit in the grass or bring their own lawn chairs.

The space might play host to summertime movie screenings or to community festivals, Swanson said.

The intention is to make art accessible, said Rick Preuss, owner of Preuss Pets and vice president of the OTCA board.

New:

Common Ground Music Festival: Zedd, Playboi Carti, DJ Elephante, Yung Gravy join lineup

A sandy beach is coming to Lansing's riverfront

'Hamilton' tickets at MSU: 5 things to know about Wharton Center's public sale

What would it take to make this happen?

The commercial association has hired Capitol Fundraising Associates to poll stakeholders and gauge interest in a capital campaign.

"We really want to make sure the interest is there," Shafer said. "If we hear that the community doesn't want this or doesn't want aspects of it, we won't move forward."

The OTCA is looking to court private donors to build the stage, Shafer said. The project's $750,000 budget encompasses architectural, construction, landscaping and lighting costs.

The city of Lansing has not been involved with fundraising at this stage of the process, Lansing spokeswoman Valerie Marchand said. The city has agreed to dedicate Parks and Recreation and Public Service staff to maintain the space and manage stage rentals, according to an OTCA brochure about the project.

Plans for other performance venues

The Old Town community stage is not the only new performance space on Lansing's horizon.

An concert and event venue called "Happening Under the Bridge" (HUB) is set to debut at the Shiawassee Bridge underpass downtown this summer. The HUB project, financed by private donations, coincides with plans for a Rotary Park near the City Market at the Grand River.

Just north of that, the Arts Council of Greater Lansing is looking to bring a permanent covered stage to Adado Riverfront Park near Grand Avenue and East Shiawassee Street. The $9 million stage, part of roughly $20 million in proposed upgrades to Adado park, would be used for events such as the annual Common Ground music festival.

The Arts Council is focusing on government grants as it works to identify funding sources, said Deborah Mikula, the organization's executive director. Lansing City Council applied last year for a National Park Service grant to build a plaza at Adado, near the proposed site of the stage. Lansing would contribute $993,200 in local money to supplement the $750,000 grant. 

If Lansing secures funding, the Adado plaza could be built by summer 2020, Mikula said. It is not yet known when the rest of the planned Adado park upgrades, including the stage and wider riverfront sidewalks, would be shovel-ready.

Meanwhile, a decades-old dream for another downtown performance site could be gaining steam.

The city of Lansing partnered earlier this year with the Capital Region Community Foundation and the Lansing Symphony to commission a $105,000 study into the viability of a downtown Performance Arts Center (PAC). The city will pay up to $40,000 of the study's cost.

The PAC, which would include indoor auditorium-style seating, could cost between $40 million and $50 million to build, local leaders say. Lansing officials have identified potential developers, but have not yet selected a specific site for the project.

More:

A permanent concert stage for Lansing's Adado Riverfront Park? Check out these plans

Lansing leaders, developers discuss new performing arts center

Lansing's wish list: Here's what it would take to reinvent the riverfront

Contact Sarah Lehr at (517) 377-1056 or slehr@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahGLehr. 

Support local journalism by subscribing to the Lansing State Journal.