Cities to Be Part of Downtown Housing Opportunities Study
Battle Creek & Albion, Mich. — An upcoming study, partially funded by a State grant, will determine the potential for downtown housing opportunities in Battle Creek and Albion.
The Calhoun County Land Bank Authority received the grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, in collaboration with the County Treasurer, the City of Battle Creek Planning and Community Development departments, the City of Albion and the Albion Economic Development Corporation. The grant and match dollars will fund a Target Market Analysis of the downtowns and adjacent neighborhoods of the two cities.
The study will determine the market potential for new residential development opportunities in downtown Battle Creek and downtown Albion. It will identify potential new housing types and each market’s ability to support them, and will help the communities with long-range planning.
“Collaboration between local partners made this grant application possible, and the analysis will assist both communities with identifying new housing opportunities in their downtowns with the long-term goal of attracting new residents to live in these areas” said Krista Trout-Edwards, Executive Director of the Calhoun County Land Bank Authority.
The Lank Bank has selected Zimmerman/Volk Associates — a national leader of residential market analysis — to complete the study. The consultants will interview key stakeholders in each community and perform an in-depth analysis of the conditions, existing and projected, of each community.
A public kick-off presentation by Laurie Volk, the firm’s principal in charge of market studies, is scheduled in each community. For Battle Creek, that will take place from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 23 at Burnham Brook Community Center, 200 W. Michigan Ave, Battle Creek. For Albion, the meeting will take place on Monday, October 27 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm in the Albion City Council Chambers, 112 W. Cass St., Albion.