After 20 years of planning, an art center for downtown Lansing has come to fruition with the announcement of The Ovation, a 2,000 person capacity venue complete with residences for local artists.

“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to bring concerts, community events, educational opportunities, speeches, comedy, and so many other live performances together in a new, state-of-the-art venue. I am thrilled that we have been able to come together and start the process to make this happen for Lansing,” Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said in a press release. 

The project, with an estimated cost of $21 million, will have an art deco-inspired facade with all the hallmarks of a classic light marquee. It will be built on the southwest corner of South Washington Square and Lenawee Street. The site was formerly home to the Lake Trust Credit Union building. 

The interior of the building will feature a two-story main stage and balcony, a smaller performance area located in the lobby and community space rooms. There will also be forty artist lofts housed on the third and fourth floors of the building. 

The city of Lansing secured approximately $10 million for funding this development between state grants and public access fees. The additional funding will be sourced through “a combination of private donors, sponsorships, grants, and, if needed, a bank loan on the housing and workspace lofts component,” according to the press release. 

A feasibility study conducted by AMS Research & Planning showed an estimated attendance of 190,000 per year. 

The construction project is being managed by Dymaxion Development. 

“Bringing thousands of people to downtown Lansing for concerts and other events throughout the year will have such an incredible impact on our small businesses here. This amazing venue will truly be transformational for Lansing,” Schor said. 

Groundbreaking is expected in late 2022.