Lansing city leaders are moving to revive one of the capital’s oldest landmarks: the Reutter Park fountain, which has sat mostly dry for years because of failing infrastructure.
Mayor Andy Schor and city officials gathered Monday at Reutter Park to announce a full restoration of the fountain. Schor said the project has been a long time coming after nearly eight years of on‑and‑off operation.
“It's going to be a fountain that's working, not just an old structure that's sitting here,” Schor said. “It makes the city look like we're alive.”
He added that residents immediately notice when the fountain briefly springs back to life.
“The few times we've been able to get it working, I always have people say, ‘Oh my God, the fountain's working, that’s so cool!’” he said.
Broader improvements planned for Reutter Park
The fountain was originally gifted to Lansing in 1929 by former Mayor J. Gottlieb Reutter in memory of his wife. Schor said the new restoration is part of a larger effort to modernize and expand amenities throughout Reutter Park and the surrounding downtown.
“We're helping out parks, we're working with businesses and improving downtown with all of the work that you're seeing here,” he said. “All the thousands of units of housing and The Ovation are part of the growth of the city of Lansing.”
Parks officials say they’ve been planning upgrades for several years, including new designs and proposals to increase the park’s capacity and usability. One of the new features will be a dedicated dog park — part of an effort to make the space more active and welcoming for residents, visitors and people living downtown.
Schor said the goal is to transform Reutter Park into a fully activated city block that complements nearby development, including The Ovation music and arts center.
Funding and timeline
The restoration will be funded through a combination of city dollars and a state revitalization and placemaking grant.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has agreed to contribute about $580,000 to the city’s $1.5 million investment into Reutter Park.
Schor said the MEDC contribution provided the final piece of funding needed to move the project forward.
“You know, the fountain is something I've heard about, for, for eight years: ‘Hey, when are we going to fix it?’ And I've always said you have to get the funding to do it,” Schor said. “We're now able to do that with $580,000 from the MEDC.”
In addition to the state grant, the city is drawing from its parks millage, regular budget allocations, and revenue from past property sales. Schor said those dollars have been set aside over several years.
“We, in essence, have been putting aside money with the intention of getting here,” he said.
The Lansing Board of Water & Light will handle the fountain’s infrastructure repairs, while the city’s Parks and Recreation Department oversees the broader park improvements.
City officials expect the fountain to be fully operational by mid‑next year, ahead of its 100th anniversary in 2029.
Council vote coming tonight
The Lansing City Council is scheduled to vote tonight on accepting the state grant. Schor said he’s optimistic the council will approve the funding.
“I've been asked so many times by different council members about fixing the fountain,” Schor said. “I would expect that they'll be supportive of accepting the grant, but we'll know tonight.”