This episode explores the vibrant community of Old Town, Lansing, featuring insights from James Lenon, Executive Director of the Old Town Commercial Association. He shares his deep-rooted connection to the area, highlighting the evolution of local businesses and the significance of community events. Old Town has a collaborative spirit, with long-standing and new businesses fostering an inclusive, artistic culture that attracts visitors and enhances the district's appeal. There's much to see in Old Town, so listen in and let's go for a stroll!

Website: Old Town Commercial Association

Welcome to Community Convos, a podcast and radio program from LCC Connect with conversations about what's happening in Lansing and around mid Michigan.

All right, welcome to Community Convos. I am Megan, your host today and we're gonna be diving in today with James Lenon and you're gonna let us know about what's happening in Old Town.

You ready?

Totally ready.

Awesome.

All right, well, before we start diving into, because we're hitting summertime and all things in Old Town, can you first tell us just a little bit about yourself? What's your connection to Old Town?

Sure. So again, James Lenon is my name. I'm the executive director for the Old Town Commercial association in Old Town Lansing.

I'm also a resident, so I live in Old Town. My workplace, my office is literally a 20 second walk from my loft. So doubly connected to Old Town. I love Old Town deeply.

The historic buildings, just the landscape, the river, everything about Old Town was something that I loved to photograph, you know, so long ago. Now being in the position that I'm in now, it's truly serendipitous really.

You know, my connection to Old Town through the years, through the photography world and now through through business advocacy, advocating for the district itself and representing the district. It's so much fun.

I'm truly thankful with representing the district like that. What does that mean for you and the relationships with the events and like and the different business owners there.

Can you talk to us a little bit about like what that role looks like on the day to day?

Yeah, balance honestly and it's not easy at all. It's something I learned right out of the gate.

Every day is different in the OTCA and it's one of the things I love because it keeps it so interesting. But it also feels like I'm chasing flaming bunnies all the time and trying to catch every one of them.

But yeah, advocating for our businesses, recruiting businesses, working with the city and state government levels and then working with the residents, property owners. So many hats from a day to day basis and then planning the festivals and getting those off the ground, seeing them through to complet.

Just so much fun. It's time consuming, it really is. But so much fun and so interesting. I've been in the role for eight months now, so pretty fresh, pretty new.

Yeah, pretty new. But everything I've done throughout life I felt has prepared me for this, for this role with the otca.

And so it's been very much a hit the ground running type situation. And yeah, like I've said, it's been so much fun and so rewarding as well.

Yeah, no, it's really cool to see you in this role, James, because I knew you a little bit before. I feel like your personality fits so well to that. And I didn't realize that you lived in Old Town.

Yes.

How fun. That works. Perfect.

Yeah, It's a catch 22, right? I'm there, I'm close to everything, I'm in touch with everything Old Town all the time. I'm also never off the clock.

So if I wanted to step outside, Catalina's is literally formerly Pablo's, but Catalina's is literally a, I think maybe a 30 second walk from my loft. And so. But I walk out the door, I'm immediately in a business conversation.

You know, I walk down the street to get a coffee or something immediately in a business conversation or a work conversation. So those conversations are so much fun and engaging. It's also like they happen at 8 o' clock at night sometimes.

You know, I'm just always on the clock.

It's always good. Maybe people know when you're home, when you're not home, it's kind of like everything is there. Oh, that's crazy.

As a resident, I'm not very far from Old Town, so I don't live downtown Old Town, but very close from Lansing my whole life. So when I think of Old Town, I think of the River Trail, I think of Chalk o the town, I think of Jazz fest, Blues fest, Scrap fest.

I mean, it's a small little kind of strip, but you guys host a lot.

Yeah, Old Town is that node, that historic node in Lansing. It grew up out of the festivals really refer to them as a ragtag group of super scrappy.

Either business owners or property owners back in the 90s that grouped together, they really believed in Old Town. They believed in this idea that it could be better. Back in the 90s, it had a 90% vacancy rate in its commercial properties.

And so they really believed that they could grow Old Town into this thriving district that engaged with businesses, tourism festivals, of course, and they really did build it out of the festival concept. And so, yeah, we've had some wild festivals over the years, some really popular ones as well.

Festival of the Sun, Festival of the Moon that longtime Lansing residents know about. The Lansing Oktoberfest was massive in Old Town and now we've Krampus knocked in December that drew over 13,000 people last year.

And then annual events like Jazz and Blues Fest and Lansing Pride has had a phenomenally successful event there every year for the last few years. Now. We are growing up, though, as an organization. We have realized that the business concept of reliance on festival income isn't the smartest.

Honestly, it's one bad thunderstorm away from a very bad financial situation as an organization. And so we are growing up out of that as well. So we're hitting 30 years as an organization this year. We're super excited about that.

We do like the idea that we're not kids anymore.

We're growing up, we're stepping more into that, dare I say, corporate world and working with those corporate donors and sponsors to support the district a little more firmly than festivals all the time.

Okay, that makes sense. I've seen new businesses almost every time I've gone there.

But at the same time, you got your OG businesses that have been there for a very long time.

Yes.

So do they tend to be pretty involved in the events and festivities and all the things that Old Town. Do they have that same vision with you and are they involved in that?

It truly is a team effort. We rise and fall together. You know, that's true in life.

Anywhere you go, we can either try to do things individually or we can come together and do something great together. And so Old Town rises and falls together. It truly does. And so we do have those historic businesses that have been partners for many, many years.

We have Terry, Terry with Urban Beat and Message Makers, who's been around since the origination of the Old Town name. And then we have newcomers that have just really bought into the idea of Old Town. Its inclusive nature, its welcoming nature, its artistic nature.

They've liter moved here from across the ocean to Old Town, and it was their target to land in Old Town because of those things.

And so, like Chengdu Teahouse, Elise came from China and she picked Old Town over many, many other options to open her business here because of what Old Town is and what it stood for the last 30 years.

Yeah, great point, actually. And I bet I was in there. And that is such an experience to go in there. And one thing that was interesting that you said is the more artistic vibe.

And that was one question I was going to ask you for community residents that might want to be going to a festival or what to expect to go to Old Town. Would you say it's just overall, with the festivities and the businesses there, more of an artistic vibe?

Oh, absolutely. We have sculptures everywhere in Old Town that really kind of jump out of the scrap festivals over the years, but those live in Old Town.

We have the art sculpture that's right on the corner of Turner and Chavez. Currently all the murals. The district really just screams art and really was built out of that artistic community.

It really started out of multiple galleries in those old buildings and places where people could gather and create together. And so we will never change that culture and aspect of Old Town.

It's part of the history of Old Town and we absolutely believe it's part of our future as well.

Whether it be festivals or just daily living in Old Town, we just want people to look around and see something fresh and visually stimulating to the eyes and ears and senses. And so when they visit Old Town, they really do kind of get engulfed in this sense of art and being and creative culture.

Sure. Yeah, sure. And you also mentioned, which I love to hear, is that the events are.

You're getting more and more people, which is crazy because it is like some of those are packed, so fun. And I almost find a new event every single time. So you have the ones that you already always have and then.

And then you've got these new ones that are coming in a little less attended, but that's just because they're brand new.

Sure.

But one thing I hear often and that I've even struggled with is when I wanna go to these. And we're getting more and more attendance there. What's the game plan? To park? Can you help me on the parking? Because I wanna go. We all wanna go.

Should we bring our lawn chairs? Should we? You know, can you give us some advice if we want to go to Old Town? If we have friends out of town, we wanna show them Old Town.

I don't want go to these festivities. So how do they learn about them and then when they want to go? How do we get there?

What to do?

Yeah. What is the best way to do that?

Sure. My recommendation all the time is to make a day of it. Honestly, there is so much to do in Old Town. It's not just the festival.

We have so many amazing businesses that you can just really walk the district and experience all the different offerings from our businesses around Old Town. So come early. Of course. We are a historic downtown district. So Parking will absolutely be difficult for these events as they grow and get larger.

And as these events grow and get larger, we are working on partnering with LCC with the ramp and shuttle opportunities with Cata.

Lansing Pride just had a phenomenal partnership with LCC and the ramp and a shuttle opportunity with cata, shuttling festival goers in and out of the festival grounds all day long. And so we're entertaining new ideas like that as these festivals grow. We're looking into that.

With Krampus knocked this year again, 13,000 last year well surpassed our goal. I think we wanted 8,000 a week before the event. And as the event grew closer, we're like, okay, this has momentum, this has traction.

We might have something big here. And then we ended up with over 13,000 Lansing. Pride had over 36,000. These festivals are growing more and more.

Folks just love coming to Old Town and we love that they do. But again, parking, utilize the lots that are available when they're available.

But yeah, we do have to get creative sometimes utilizing those neighborhood streets.

We are allowed to park along the streets throughout the district and then again, showing up early, frequenting our local businesses and supporting those local businesses even prior to the festival start. And then we can have fun within the festival and then go our way when the festival ends. But parking is a challenge.

I think it will always be a challenge in Old Town and downtown, really. But again, come early, utilize that street level parking. We do have some new developments coming with expected, you know, ramps and things like that.

So down the road those opportunities will change and be a little different. But right now we do have to get creative.

Sure, we can get creative.

Yes.

Okay.

Yeah, it's a creative district.

Absolutely.

So we can get creative with parking.

Tell me, where are people finding out about this? Because for so many people, obviously you're getting, well, more than what you had planned. That's great. So how are people finding out about this?

What festival and what event is happening? What's the best way to stay up to date?

Yeah, so we have a beautifully engaged social media community. Our Facebook and Instagram channels are extremely, well, engaged. And so we are constantly updating all the things that are happening in Old Town.

We just posted a parking update. It's funny, we just talked about parking.

So anything new, anything different that's happening in Old Town Lansing on Facebook, Old Town Lansing on instagram, and then iloveoldtown.org on the web.

So all of our information, all of the festival information, anything new, any current updates that might be pushed are going to be pushed on those three channels and so you can find it all there.

That's great. And some people do ask if they are looking for an all in one experience exclusive like area to find out all the things going on in Lansing.

They're going to the 517 community page. And so do you have your events on there as well?

We certainly do.

Okay, so there's lots of different ways, but those are two and so social. Instagram, Facebook. Awesome. So we'll make sure to have all those in the show links.

Perfect.

So that way we have it available. That's great. And when I think of Old Town, I do just think of Turner, to be honest with you.

Is there a part of Old Town that's actually covered that people maybe overlook and just assume that that's Lansing or that's not Old Town? Can you tell me what all exclusively is considered Old Town?

Yeah.

So Old Town technically will run from Washington all the way down to Oakland, down East Chavez currently, and then from Turner at the Fishladder Music park all the way up to north. And so it's quite a bit bigger than just that, Turner Street.

And we recognize that Turner street has been where most of the festivals happen over the years.

And so people connect Turner street to Old Town, but it really expands quite a bit further down Chavez each direction, east and west, than just Turner.

And so we love to promote those businesses that are working extremely hard to bring more activity and attraction to Old Town and maybe some of the underutilized spaces that have lived along that East Caesar, East Chavez corridor over the years.

Yeah, that's good. That's interesting. I didn't realize it went that far. So thank you for that clarity on that.

Absolutely.

Now, looking into the rest of the summer, what is one event that you're most excited about that is still coming up this year?

Sure. Art Feast. We're working hard to get Art Feast going. Currently, it's one of our biggest events on the calendar each year. We have about 120 vendors.

It's a street shutdown. Again, Turner street shut down. And it's art. And so all the vendors are creatives. They create something.

They're not just printing a poster, they're bringing a print in. It's a print that they created that's usually a one of one or some kind of original. We're extremely excited for that event.

Being a creative myself, I love it. I go every year. Again, it's a free, family friendly event. 120 Vendors, food trucks. It combines all the senses. Again, art, your sight, your smells.

Everything. And so we're really excited about that one that happens August 15th. A couple months out still. Well, not even. But that one's coming up.

I'm really excited for that one.

Oh, that's gonna be cool. I definitely will put that on my calendar. And it's just one day. It's just the August 15th, correct?

Yes. It's one Saturday.

Okay. And is there actual hours to that? Like, is there, like, a certain start and stop time?

I feel like Old Town, you guys are, like, partying all night long. I don't even know if there's an actual stop time at all.

Sometimes we are. Sometimes we. I feel like I'm still recovering from the Pride Festival, but, yeah, that one is a 12 to five event, if I'm not mistaken.

Okay, so it's an afternoon event. Bring the family down again, walk, check out the vendors, visit our local businesses, really take in Old Town and what it truly is.

Thanks, James, so much for coming on today. You guys. This is only the snippets of all the things that James is doing.

You're doing a fantastic job at your new role there, and I'm sure all the businesses in the community really appreciate the value that you're bringing as well. Don't forget to check the Facebook and Instagram. I hope to see you guys myself out there. You better have your photography out at the art feast.

That'd be fantastic. And my last question to wrap up today. I got one more for you. Okay with that? Okay.

Who is one person that you think we should know in Lansing and why should we know about them?

Oh, that's a great. That is a great question. Okay. Jamie Schreiner. So Jamie Schreiner actually recruited me to this role that I'm now in.

Her email is Oldtown Jamie, and that really encompasses Jamie Schreiner. She's going to hate that I'm doing this, by the way, but I have not met one person that loves Old Town more.

You know, we're all hoping for more hours in the day. Like, we could have 28 hours. Somehow Jamie's figured it out. Like, she just doesn't stop working.

You know, she has her normal job, but then she is always working on behalf of Old Town. I was texting with her this morning about Old Town initiatives well before the workday started.

So, yeah, Jamie Schreiner, she's a resident in Old Town. She's a property owner in Old Town, and she just is truly one of those individuals that is committed to the core to see Old Town succeed and rise up.

Even further than it has over the last 30 years.

Well, way to go, Jamie.

She's gonna hate that I did that.

That makes it perfect that you mentioned her. And thanks again, James, and I really hope to see you guys all at Old Town.

Thank you.

You've been listening to Community Convos, a podcast from LCC Connect. Listen to this episode and others at LCCconnect.com or wherever you get your podcasts. If you or someone you know would like to feature an event on Community convos, email us [email protected] and thanks for joining The Convo.