by Christopher Hodapp
Lansing, Michigan's Mayor Andy Schor announced this week that the former downtown Masonic Templeat 217 S. Capital Street will become the new City Hall. The original Temple was built in 1924 at the height of the City Beautiful Movement, and was home so numerous Masonic lodges and appendant organizations.
The Masons moved out of the building many years ago as lodge memberships diminished and downtowns deteriorated in the late 1960s, and the Temple building became the Cooley Law School in the 1970s. The school vacated in 2001, but this announcement will breathe new life back to the historic building.
The move will begin in 2024 and take 2 years to complete.
See the story from WLNS-6 HERE.
It would be nice if local Masons could participate when the new City Hall is dedicated, maybe with a new dedication stone. And even better if one of the lodge rooms survived well enough to get dispensation and hold an occasional degree there.
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