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Albion Is Changing — Here’s the Story in Progress
Albion’s future planning begins where the city itself was born — at the forks of the river. Long before dams altered its course, this confluence drew people together and gave rise to a community. Reconnecting with that natural foundation is at the heart of today’s vision. Planned river and dam improvements aim to restore natural flow, enhance recreation, and once again make the water a central part of Albion’s identity.
Beyond the river’s edge, other projects are shaping the city’s next chapter. The historic Washington Gardner School is being reimagined as attainable housing, reflecting a broader effort to create more places to live within walking distance of downtown. Infrastructure improvements — from repairing key roadways to restoring Albion’s iconic brick streets — are laying the groundwork for growth. These local efforts come at a pivotal time: a massive new battery plant under construction nearby is expected to bring new jobs and residents, increasing demand for housing, transportation, and community spaces.
Scroll down to explore how Albion is evolving — from environmental restoration and housing projects to demolition, redevelopment, and new construction that will define the city’s next era.
Albion Arts Center gives area artists a home and opens doors just in time for the holidays
By SYLVIA BENAVIDEZ - Contributing Writer November 28, 2025 A historic brick building behind downtown Albion’s iconic Coca Cola sign finds new life as the home of the Albion Arts Center and area artists finally have a permanent place to show their work, sell their art, and learn their craft. The grand opening for the center, located at 107 E. Cass St., was held Nov. 20 with a the Greater ... Read More
Albion Households are facing a rising need
By Maggie LaNoue - Contributing Writer - November 21, 2025 Albion Households Face Rising Need as Local Groups Mobilize Support Recent discussions about the region’s economic outlook have renewed attention to the needs of many Albion residents. At last month’s Economic Club luncheon at Albion College, the Upjohn Institute presented a countywide economic forecast showing rising household costs across Calhoun County. Several Albion residents asked how closely those trends reflect ... Read More
City Council honoring yesterday, building tomorrow
By Maggie LaNoue - Contributing Writer - November 14, 2025 Honoring Yesterday, Building Tomorrow: Albion Remembers Robert Holt as Doug Terry Supports Albion’s Citywide Progress Albion City Council met on Monday, November 17, 2025, at the Marshall Opportunity High School Library, working through a mix of long-delayed administrative actions, new budget discussions, and recognitions that connected the city’s past to its future. The evening reflected a community honoring its history ... Read More
Calhoun County Dodged a Bullet — But Albion’s Story May Be Different
By Maggie LaNoue - Contributing Writer - November 14, 2025 Calhoun County Dodged a Bullet — But Albion’s Story May Be Different ALBION — At a moment when national indicators seemed poised to turn negative, economist Michael Horrigan, president of the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, told attendees at Albion’s October Economic Club luncheon that Calhoun County has so far “dodged a bullet.”Horrigan spoke to a small audience, ... Read More
Albion’s fall construction season shows visible progress – Department of Public Works Nov 3, 2025
By Maggie LaNoue - Contributing Writer November 7, 2025 Albion’s fall construction season shows visible progress – Department of Public Works - City Council, Nov. 3, 2025 As winter approaches, Albion’s Department of Public Works is closing out what Director Jason Kern called the city’s busiest construction season in decades. In a 14-page report to City Council, Kern walked through street reconstructions, underground utility fixes, the rising water tower, and what ... Read More
Jackson County Solar Project Nears Completion
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer October 10, 2025 Representatives from Geronimo Power, Consumers Energy, Barnhart Energy, and local landowners participated in the Jackson County Solar ribbon cutting on October 1, 2025. Jackson County Solar Project Nears Completion The Jackson County Solar Project, a 125-megawatt renewable energy development in Parma Township, marked its ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 1 with approximately forty guests, including landowners, community leaders, and project partners from across Michigan.The event ... Read More
Albion College Art Students Bring Downtown to Life with Trackside Mural
Albion College Art Students Bring Downtown to Life with Trackside Mural By Brenna Staley from Albion Life Today October 6, 2025Driving south on Superior Street as you enter downtown Albion, you may notice something new that catches your eye. It is something colorful, something exciting, something wholeheartedly Albion. An in-progress mural will soon welcome visitors and residents alike to the City of Albion.Driving South on Superior Street as you enter downtown Albion, ... Read More
Albion Council Highlights Growth, Art, and Inclusion at October 6 Meeting
By Maggie LaNoue - Contributing Writer October 6, 2025 Albion Council Highlights Growth, Art, and Inclusion at October 6, 2025 Meeting Mayor Victoria Garcia-Snyder called the October 6 Albion City Council meeting to order, welcoming attendees and outlining the evening’s agenda, which included updates on economic development, the arts, public safety, and inclusion.The first presentation came from Interim EDC Director Bruce Nelson, who provided an update from the Albion Economic Development ... Read More
Dam Removal Talk Highlights Long Road to River Renewal
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer September 12, 2025 Aerial view of Albion’s millpond and dam, where proposed removal would reconnect more than 40 miles of stream habitat. Dam Removal Talk Highlights Long Road to River Renewal Blueprints showing the future of the Kalamazoo River in Albion, both the north branch and the south branch, took center stage Tuesday night as a consultant outlined 43 pages of plans for dam removal and restoration ... Read More
Albion Council Approves River Restoration Plan
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer September 26, 2025 This digitally created map combines Wightman engineering plans, a Google base map, and added captions to show Albion’s current waterways and proposed changes. The South Branch passes under Superior Street, near Riverside Cemetery, and currently features the familiar waterfall and a wide pond. The North Branch, which runs closer to the sledding hill, will take on the flow now carried by the Mill Race ... Read More
Albion’s Brick Street Gets Protective Treatment
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer September 26, 2025 Crews spread a sand and cement mixture over Albion’s Superior Street on Monday, Sept. 9, as part of a joint-filling process designed to stabilize the bricks and extend their life. The material will be sealed later in the week to protect against Michigan’s freeze-thaw cycles. Albion’s Brick Street Gets Protective Treatment Downtown Albion’s red brick Superior Street, a symbol of the city’s history and ... Read More
Sept 2 Council Meeting Approvals Span Housing, Dams, Roads
Albion Council Sept. 2, 2025 Meeting Approvals Span Housing, Dams, and Roads By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer September 6, 2025 A wide-ranging Albion City Council meeting the day after Labor Day resulted in approvals across the agenda, from housing grants and dam design to public safety equipment and facility repairs. Unlike the packed meetings in August, which centered on one landmark project, this session drew a lighter audience but covered more ground ... Read More
Making Room for Albion’s Next Chapter
Albion’s renewal is visible throughout the community — from downtown demolitions that make way for new construction to infrastructure repairs that strengthen the foundation beneath our streets.
Projects like the recent road and sewer repairs supporting the new water main and water tower, the Union Steel demolition, and the planned dam removal, along with earlier downtown building removals for the Courtyard by Marriott, all show how Albion is rebuilding from the ground up. Each cleared lot, repaved street, and upgraded water line makes room for new possibilities — safer neighborhoods, modern housing, and a stronger future for the city.
The Calhoun County Land Bank Authority, working alongside the City of Albion, continues to remove unsafe or blighted structures, preparing sites for redevelopment and green space.
Dam Removal Talk Highlights Long Road to River Renewal
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer September 12, 2025 Aerial view of Albion’s millpond and dam, where proposed removal would reconnect more than 40 miles of stream habitat. Dam Removal Talk Highlights Long Road to River Renewal Blueprints showing the future of the Kalamazoo River in Albion, both the north branch and the ...
Sept 2 Council Meeting Approvals Span Housing, Dams, Roads
Albion Council Sept. 2, 2025 Meeting Approvals Span Housing, Dams, and Roads By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer September 6, 2025 A wide-ranging Albion City Council meeting the day after Labor Day resulted in approvals across the agenda, from housing grants and dam design to public safety equipment and facility repairs. Unlike the ...
Albion City Council faces costly sewer repairs
Albion Council Faces Costly Sewer Repairs and Encourages Communication By Maggie LaNoue Special to The Recorder August 05, 2025 Communication and engagement were recurring themes at Albion City Council’s meeting Monday night, where members faced urgent infrastructure issues, updates on recreation and community projects, and calls to keep residents informed.The most pressing ...
Albion Tackles Road Repairs with Eye Toward Transparency and Infrastructure Accountability
Albion Tackles Road Repairs with Eye Toward Transparency and Infrastructure Accountability The City of Albion has been tackling long-standing infrastructure challenges with new urgency this summer, addressing sinkholes, water main failures, and deteriorating roads. At the August 5 City Council meeting, Director of Public Works Jason Kern presented a detailed ...
Albion Dam Removal Open House Draws Questions and Curiosity
Albion Dam Removal Open House Draws Questions and Curiosity By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer August 1, 2025 Even though the invitation featured a photo of the Victory Park waterfall, the July 24 open house at Victory Park wasn’t about that landmark, at least not for now. Under a heavy sky and with ...
Cass Street Prioritized for Federal Road Funding in Albion
Cass Street Prioritized for Federal Road Funding in Albion By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer June 20, 2025 Albion’s Small Urban Task Force met on June 18 at City Hall to determine how to allocate $385,000 in federal transportation funding for the 2026 construction season. Participants included representatives from the City of Albion, ...
Union Steel to come down, some Union Steel cats saved
By Sylvia BenavidezContributing Writer March 5, 2020 Union Steel a couple of days before preparations to tear the building down begins. “The Land Bank wants us to be successful in this effort because the colony at Union Steel has been very well-known and has been a topic of conversation in the ...
UNION STEEL PRODUCTS – by Frank Passic
Union Steel from above Morning Star, April 16, 2000, pg. 16 We take time here this week to note the current demolition of the Union Steel Products complex north of the Junior High School. It is hard to believe that this was once the site of one of Albion’s major ...
What used to be Wilking’s Office Supply in Albion Michigan
Albion Michigan – Friday April 8, 2016 – The demolition of the 200 block of South Superior Street continues. This video shows how fast the work is being done, in anticipation of a new hotel in this block, next door to Cascarelli’s of Albion. The way the buildings crumble is ...
Demolition in downtown Albion
April 7,2016 The weather was rainy but excitement was strong downtown with the demolition of the remaining buildings in the 200 block of S. Superior Street. See the April 5 post below for a nice photo of how the buildings looked just two days ago, and also a painting of ...
It’s a Beautiful Day in Our Neighborhood…
Words from Frank Passic: "Say goodbye to Howard Hall for the last time. This is where the Albion Public Schools was organized in 1867, 3rd floor (building on the right formerly housing Friia law office and Foxy Nails)." Today demolition begins ...
Now you see them…
Downtown Albion Michigan - showing the buildings in the 200 block of South Superior Street as they were on March 18, 2016. The buildings in the lower left of this photo are scheduled to be demolished the first week of April to prepare for construction of a new hotel in ...
The Courtyard by Marriott: A Cornerstone of Albion’s Renewal
The Courtyard by Marriott hotel opened in 2018 and is one of the biggest changes in Albion’s downtown. The project cost was reported between $8.4 million and $12 million. Funding came from the state, the local Brownfield authority, Albion College, and private investors.
Dr. Samuel “Sam” Shaheen ’88 helped lead the project. He is a physician, business owner, and strong supporter of Albion College, including a major gift to its science center in 2023. Shaheen is also a founding member of Albion Reinvestment Corporation.
The group’s mission is “to combat community deterioration in the downtown business district of the City of Albion and surrounding areas by using all effective means.”
A Community Celebration hosted by ARC
As published in The Recorder Big Albion Plan to Revitalize Downtown Brought to the Public A few dozen people gathered in the old Sanders Building for a “Community Celebration” that was more like an unveiling party. It was a coming together of people who have been working quietly for a few years to acquire resources and Albion real estate, with another group of people who ...
Albion College Graduation
Albion College Graduation Memories Scrapbook 2018 Note from Albion enews. (Sign up for Albion Enews here!) Physician/Developer Shaheen to address Class of 2018 at Albion Commencement PHYSICIAN/DEVELOPER SHAHEEN TO ADDRESS CLASS OF 2018 AT ALBION COMMENCEMENT Several local community champions and College boosters, including trustee Sam Shaheen, '88, will be on hand as Albion College celebrates its 2018 Commencement Saturday, May 5, at 1 p.m ...
Courtyard by Marriott – Albion – Tour – April 2018
The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Albion Michigan opened in March 2018. The 75-room hotel is located at 200 S. Superior Street and managed by the Veridea Group from Marquette, Michigan. Courtyard Albion offers convenient lodging for visitors to Albion and nearby, whether they are coming to enjoy Blues at the Bohm, Albion College events, the Albion Malleable Brewing Company, to take the classic Purple ...
Courtyard by Marriott, Albion opening date information
See a tour of the downtown Albion hotel here: Courtyard by Marriott – Albion – Tour – April 2018 Thanks to the Courtyard by Marriott, Albion hotel for sponsoring General Guide XXIX. People are curious as to the opening date. Jan. 31, 2018 "At this time, we our looking to open towards the end of February. We can't give a definite date at this time, ...
New Things Coming to Albion
Hotel Groundbreaking - May 12, 2016 Opening remarks by City Manager Sheryl Mitchell. The ceremonial groundbreaking of the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Albion Michigan was very well attended with an overflow of guests and news teams. In this video, the first speaker, City Manager of Albion Sheryl Mitchell discusses some of the best new things coming to Albion in addition to the hotel including ...
Photos from May 12, 2016 – Ground Breaking for new Albion Hotel
Photos of the ground breaking of the new hotel in downtown Albion Michigan ...
Alumni who can make things happen
President Mauri Ditzler of Albion College gives his 30 second speech to parents of prospective students. Albion College alumni will come away more idealistic and more audacious than when they arrived. Case in point is hotel developer Dr. Sam Shaheen, Albion College graduate and a surgeon who practices medicine daily ...
People of Albion were my inspiration
Soon to be retired President and CEO of Albion Economic Development Corporation Peggy Sindt is introduced by Mauri Ditzler, Albion College President. Peggy talks about the partnerships and teamwork that made the new hotel in Albion Michigan possible. She mentions how everyone at the ribbon cutting (a crowd of over 200 people) had something to do with making it possible. She said people were here ...
Preview of the Courtyard by Marriott in Albion
Thanks to Frank Passic for taking this photo on site before the groundbreaking of the new hotel in downtown Albion. Click on the image to see a larger version. See more posts related to progress in Albion ...
Albion’s Hotel Developer
As promised, we are assembling information about the new hotel that is going to be built in downtown Albion. The developer of the hotel is Dr. Sam Shaheen, an Albion College graduate who still practices medicine every day. Read about Dr. Shaheen's father, also named Dr. Sam Shaheen, who recently passed on, but left a legacy of vision for his family and many others. http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/08/passion_integrity_and_commitme.html ...
Ceremonial Groundbreaking May 12, 2016
Yes it was a ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Courtyard by Marriott Hotel for downtown Albion Michigan. The actual groundbreaking will take place August 2016, and the hotel will be complete by Fall of 2017 ...
Courtyard by Marriott
You are cordially invited to attend the Groundbreaking Celebration of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in downtown Albion, MI, hosted by City of Albion Mayor Joe Domingo, Albion Economic Development Corporation President Peggy Sindt, and Albion College President Mauri Ditzler. Hotel Groundbreaking Ceremony and Celebration Thursday, May 12, 2016, 10:30 AM Future Hotel Site (on the corner of Superior and Center St.) Downtown Albion, MI ...