On a clear day, you can see the Capitol

Cooley Temple is one of the attractions of the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition’s Views of Lansing fundraiser

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Friday, Sept. 30 — The Greater Lansing Housing Coalition’s Views of Lansingfundraiser takes place at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. After touring four buildings withoptimal views of the Lansing skyline, participants will have the chance to attend areception at the Cooley Temple, a space owned by Cooley Law School and primarilyused as a conference space — and, of course, the reception will be in a roomwith a view.

Attendees will first get to view the lobby of the buildingand then will head up to the sixth floor reception area. This area features a viewof the Capitol Building and front lawn, including the spot where the stateChristmas tree will stand during the holiday season. The reception area includesa bar and a few tables.

The connecting auditorium is also part of the reception.Live music, food and additional tables will be located in the room for gueststo enjoy. While the auditorium doesn’t offer a view of Lansing, it is anarchitectural gem. Many of the features in the 1,000-seat auditorium are original,although the stage has been altered to accommodate the disabled, said DonLeDuc, president and dean of Cooley Law School. One of the highlights of the room is the collection ofchandeliers hung in various spots throughout the auditorium.

Cooley Temple was built in the 1920s as a replacement for anearlier Masonic Temple. It once operated a public cafeteria that was a majorrestaurant in downtown Lansing, said LeDuc. It was also host to several highschool proms and a movie theater, which is said to be the first place “talkingmotion pictures” were shown in Lansing, he added. Cooley Temple was purchasedby Cooley in 1974, a year after the school opened. Cooley then began restoringthe building, a project the school is still working on today.

Cooley will also be opening the Cooley Center, which openedin 2000, for the event. The 10nthfloor boardroom of the building, which was formerly the Commerce Center,features views extending all the way to Spartan Stadium.

“I thought it was a great idea for a fundraiser, becausemany people don’t get to see the inside of these buildings or to appreciate thewonderful vistas that those of us who work in them see every day,” said LeDuc. Allfunds from the event will benefit the GLHC’s existing programs.

To register forthe event call (517) 372-5980.

Views of Lansing
Fundraiser for Greater Lansing Housing Coalition 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1
$100 (tax-deductible); advance reservations are requested
A reception follows at 7 p.m. at Cooley Temple. Call (517) 372-5980, or email glhc@glhc.org.

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