Executive Director Cathleen Edgerly
Dear Friends and Downtown Champions,
What a beautiful Fall season so far! As the crisp autumn air truly settles in, there is an unmistakable energy found throughout the streets of Downtown Lansing.
Walking through the district right now, you can see the incredible momentum of new developments reshaping our skyline and neighborhood. Major housing projects are bringing new density and life to the city center, ensuring that more people can call our downtown home. The preservation of – and rehabilitation of historic spaces like Brick Row blends our historical architecture with modern urban living and retail spaces, while the progress on The Ovation music and arts venue promises to soon serve as a hub of community, culture, and entertainment.
But physical structures are only part of the story. The heart of our district relies entirely on the people, businesses, and ongoing support that fill these spaces. The investment happening here, creativity, volunteerism and vision are all vital to the long-term sustainability of our district. And as we heard at the Brick Row ribbon cutting from state leaders – the investment happening here is also vital to the economic development of Michigan.
This is exactly why dollars raised at our Big Red Ball Fundraising Gala is so critical. The support raised during this celebration directly funds the essential projects and programming that keep our district thriving. When you invest in the Gala, you are directly funding:
- A New Clean & Welcoming Ambassador Team: Our dedicated ambassadors will be on the street keeping downtown clean, beautiful, and inviting—greeting guests, directing them to local businesses, troubleshooting issues, and connecting those in need to vital services.
- Small Business & Storefront Resources: Direct support to help revitalize our storefronts and ensure our local entrepreneurs succeed.
- Art & Seasonal Décor: Transforming downtown public spaces into vibrant, visually inspiring places to gather.
- Free Community Events: Keeping beloved, family-friendly traditions like Trick-or-Treat on the Square and the Downtown Egg-Stravaganza on the Capitol lawn entirely free for over 3,000 local families.
Whether through buying a ticket to the Gala, sponsoring the event, or volunteering your time - your support ensures this momentum does not slow down. True transformation requires all of us playing a role in improving, inspiring and championing our downtown district.
Let’s keep pushing boundaries, honoring our roots, and building a Capital City we can all be proud of.
Thank you for your continued dedication to Downtown Lansing!
Warmly,
Me
