Old Town sculpture ‘destroyed’ Thursday morning

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Early Thursday morning, someone ‘destroyed’ a sculpture honoring the memory of Old Town leader Robert Busby, a local community leader told 6 News.

The incident was caught on surveillance video.

Old Town Commercial Association President Jamie Schriner says in a Facebook post the sculpture “appeared one day in front of the Creole Gallery after he passed.”

The destruction, she says, was painful.

“It’s really painful when somebody damages something that is is meant there in memory of someone who you cared about and who really helped create the neighborhood,” she tells 6 News.

Busby was the driving visionary behind the revitalization of Old Town in the mid-1990s. He was beaten to death in 2007 by a man who was assisting Busby with odd jobs around his building.

The building housed the Creole Gallery, an artist’s gallery and performance space. After his passing, it became a popular eatery.

He was often called “The Mayor of Old Town.”

In a statement to 6 News, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor called the destruction of the sculpture harmful to not just the Old Town community but all of Lansing.

“Robert Busby was the heart of Old Town, and this memorial is a monument to his life and work in the neighborhood he loved,” Schor said in a press statement. “This destruction is not just vandalism of the statute, it is harming all of Old Town and Lansing.  Folks in Old Town will be sending information to the police, and we will provide them the information that was provided by WLNS.  I am also hopeful the sculpture can be repaired to its original form as a tangible symbol of Busby’s legacy and the vibrancy that he helped to create in Old Town for all of us to enjoy.”

In addition to Schor, First Ward Councilmember Ryan Kost, whose ward includes the Old Town area of the city, sent 6 News a statement.

Old Town Commercial Association is accepting donations to repair or restore the sculpture.

“While the sculpture was done anonymously in the past, one of the original sculptors did reach out and is working — will be working with someone to try to help repair it,” Schriner says. “So, another prominent Old Town artist will be working to try to help repair it this weekend. And over the course of the next week. Luckily, we think that it should not be — hopefully — that difficult to repair. So, hopefully it’ll be up in stronger than what it was even even beforehand.”

If anyone knows who the person is seen on video damaging the sculpture they are asked to call the Lansing Police Department.

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