Marshall board OKs transfer of 400 Watson to Albion EDC to pursue attainable housing

Marshall — The Marshall Public Schools Board of Education on May 19 approved an agreement to transfer district-owned property at 400 Watson to the Albion Economic Development Corporation (EDC) for $1 so the EDC can pursue pre-development work and housing construction aimed at creating attainable single-family homes.

Under the agreement the buyer will assume responsibility for environmental studies, surveying, zoning changes and other pre-development tasks; administration said the buyer plans to subdivide the parcel into residential lots for a pre-approved developer. "The proposed agreement transfers the property to the Albion Economic Development Corporation for a dollar with the buyer assuming responsibility for all pre development activities including environmental studies, surveying, and zone changes," a staff presentation said.

Administration told the board the transfer is intended to unlock three grant awards the city has pursued: a roughly $1,000,000 award from a state housing grant described at the meeting as a "my hope" program; a $400,000 award from a neighborhood grant program; and a $500,000 CDBG housing improvement award to the city. Board members asked for detail about how grant dollars would affect sales prices and for limits on how long the EDC could hold the property if development stalls.

Ben Wallace, identified as a representative of the EDC board, told the board the grants already are secured and described a timeline and financing structure intended to lower effective sale prices for initial homes. He said the project would use modular construction and that grant reductions could materially lower purchase prices for early buyers; he gave an example that 14 homes on the Watson site had a list price of $185,000 and that grant-funded reductions could significantly lower those prices.

Board members discussed site size and history and raised concerns about a 10‑year reversion clause in the draft agreement if development does not proceed; one member asked whether a shorter control period (for example, five years) would be possible. EDC representatives said the timeline was set to allow the developer and grants time to mature and that the EDC has already incurred some site work and environmental studies at its own expense.

The board approved the motion to transfer the property (motion by Derek Allen, second by Matt Davis). The vote was recorded in the meeting as unanimous in favor.

Nut graf: The transfer moves a vacant district parcel into local economic-development control to qualify for state and federal housing grants and to accelerate construction of attainable housing in Albion; the board approved the transfer while flagging concerns about development timelines and long-term control of the acreage.

Ending: Board members asked to receive follow-up reporting on site surveys, grant schedules and a timeline for construction and sales. The board made no operational decisions about future school site planning under the transfer.