JACKSON, MI – The Jackson Downtown Development Authority is inviting people to explore one of Jackson’s historic landmarks for a haunted fundraiser.
Led by the Central Michigan Paranormal Investigators, tours are being offered for the Commercial Exchange Building, 2301 E. Michigan Ave., every weekend through Saturday, Oct. 25.
While CMPI didn’t capture definitive video or audio evidence, investigators reported several personal experiences, Founder Rusty Jones said. Around 10 years ago, Jones said he saw a woman standing on the stairs, but when he turned back, she had vanished. Another investigator heard a conversation, thinking it was Jones, only to find the voices had come from an empty conference room, he said.
The walking tours will last around two hours, where the guides will detail the history of the building and its hauntings. It will be an immersive experience, and people will get to use K2 meters, REM pods and laser grids to find paranormal activity at the building, Jones said.
Tickets cost $10 each and can be purchased here. Tours are still available at 7 and 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, Saturday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 25.
Proceeds from the event support the Jackson DDA’s mission to preserve downtown’s historic character and host community events.
Cameron Meininger bought the Commercial Exchange Building in 2024 with plans to turn it into a mixed-use development.
He has since filled vacant office and storage spaces with 45 tenants, he said. Most of the first floor has been leased up, but the second floor has plenty of space to fill, he said.
Tenants include those selling merchandise, custom puzzles, and therapists, as well as an antique mall in the basement. Plans include a gym moving to the second floor and a sandwich restaurant serving food in the main lobby, which Meininger imagines will be open early next year.
Future plans call for developing an adjacent three-floor building into market-rate apartments. Construction for these will likely take place in 2027, he said.
Meininger would also like to add golf simulators, mini-golf and other indoor sports into the facility. The building’s courtyard is planned to be used for events such as weddings, graduation parties and smaller festivals.
He also plans to rename the complex, The Sparks, in honor of William “Cap” Sparks, the visionary behind the Cascades Falls Park and former owner of the Commercial Exchange Building. The name also carries a double meaning, symbolizing a place where people can create and ignite new business ideas – a spark.
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Those interested in leasing space can reach Meininger at cam@commercial-exchange.com. Warehouse and studio space costs around 50 cents per square foot a month, but nicer offices are around $1.50 a month.
More information can be found on the Commercial Exchange’s Facebook page.
The Commercial Exchange Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 and has a history in manufacturing dating back to the late 1800s. Through the years, it housed the Jackson Automobile Co. and Sparks-Withington Co., later known as Sparton Corp., which made radios, TVs and other items before focusing on defense work.
Laurice LaZebnik and her husband Robert purchased the building from Sparton Corp. in 1961. After Robert’s death, she sold the building to Meininger in 2024.
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