Downtown Albion’s Big Albion Plan was recently featured in the Albion Recorder & Morning Star, which reported that construction is now visibly underway on South Superior Street. Crews are carefully taking apart portions of a downtown block that dates back to the 1860s, and the stretch between the Bohm Theatre and the Coca-Cola mural is lined with construction fencing. Residents can expect to see the backs and storefronts of the buildings temporarily exposed before they’re enclosed and rebuilt.
The $11.3 million project, led by Albion Reinvestment Corporation, will turn nine properties at 101–119 S. Superior St. into 21 apartments and six commercial spaces. After earlier attempts to fund the project through historic tax credits and Opportunity Zone investment fell short, a $5 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation finally moved it forward. Additional funding includes $2 million in bank financing and $300,000 from the Albion Community Foundation, with Albion College holding a 44% investment stake. College President Wayne Webster described the school as an investor and noted that more downtown housing benefits faculty, staff, and student recruitment.
Project leaders describe the current phase as selective demolition, using diamond saws to separate the sections being removed from those being preserved. The finished buildings will feature exposed brick and historic architectural details, with commercial spaces of roughly 1,000 square feet ready for tenants to customize. Residential leasing is expected to start in spring 2027, with a planned opening in fall 2027.
Source: Maggie LaNoue, Wilcox Newspapers / Albion Recorder & Morning Star, October 5, 2026. Read the full article here.