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21 Kalamazoo-area developments to watch in 2026

Posted By: mlive on January 1, 2026.  For more information, please click here to read the source article.

New construction is going up across Kalamazoo County, from public safety improvements and housing to entertainment venues and private clubs. Some projects will see completion in 2026. Others will mark the first of many years of construction. Here are 20 projects in and around Kalamazoo to watch this year as developers break ground, build and cut ribbons.

1. New Kalamazoo Township fire station

Kalamazoo Township is replacing its aging Eastwood Fire Station with a new facility at 2409 Texel Drive. Plans for the new station include a community room for training, three truck bays nearly twice as long as the current station’s, updated living quarters for on-duty staff and a designated entrance for the public with 30 parking spaces. The bulk of construction is expected to take place in 2026, per township documents, and be complete in early 2027.

2. The Landing Place, a new family homeless shelter

Kalamazoo County’s new family homeless shelter, The Landing Place, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The former Country Inn & Suites, 1912 E. Kilgore Service Road, will reopen as an 80-unit homeless shelter with support services for families located on site. The project was initially planned to open by mid-summer 2025. In May 2025, county officials projected a December 2025 opening date, which was later bumped to early 2026. A private donor anonymously committed $11.7 million of a $23.3 million housing gift to the shelter project, per county documents.

3. Apartments at old Panda Dynasty site

Portage plans to pass the land at 7716 S. Westnedge Ave., the former home of Panda Dynasty’s Chinese restaurant, to developers. The city bought the property for $541,000 in July, per public records. The building was “in a state of disrepair,” per city documents. it was demolished in October. It’s now three months into a six-month waiting period with developers that plan to bring housing to the site. Dynasty Management LLC proposed a $8.2 million, three-story, 30-unit apartment complex with ground floor retail space. When the due diligence process concludes in March, the city expects to have an approved brownfield redevelopment agreement, spelling out terms of the agreement, timing of the sale and the construction obligations.

4. Kalamazoo Event Center

Kalamazoo Event Center developers boldly declared the $515 million project will open its doors in fall 2027 during a September 2025 groundbreaking event. On Dec. 9, 2025, builders lifted part of the roof into place, spokesperson Allie Lochart said, marking one of the project’s first construction milestones. The arena bowl is beginning to take shape, surrounded by seating for up to 8,000 people, dining and VIP experience options. Part of a nine-story, 1,176-space parking deck already stands on the site as work progresses.

5. 2 new dorms at Kalamazoo College

Two new dorms are under construction on Kalamazoo College’s campus. The $55 million project will house up to 218 junior and senior students in fall 2027, per college documents. About 88% of the rooms will be single-occupancy, MLive reported previously. Each hall will have four floors and be connected by a common space with a community kitchen, marketplace and terrace with outdoor seating. Solar panels will electrify the buildings and a nearby geothermal field will support heating and cooling.

6. Golden Oaks residence hall at Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University is also building new dorm space for students. Its new Golden Oaks residence hall is expected to open fall 2026. Golden Oaks will offer more than 1,000 first-year students a variety of dorm room styles. The building’s primary construction material is timber, rather than steel or concrete. When completed, the residence hall will be one of the largest mass timber buildings in Michigan at 270,000 square feet, a WMU representative said previously. It’ll cost students between $14,432 and $15,098 a year, depending on meal plans, for students to live in the $110 million building. The WMU Board of Trustees approved housing and meal plan costs for Golden Oaks and other residence halls at December board meeting.

7. Stanwood Crossings

Two of the 42 homes going up between Austin Lake and West Lake are nearly ready to welcome buyers. AVB broke ground on the first 12 homes at the new Stanwood Crossings neighborhood in July, MLive previously reported. It plans to complete two homes per month, officials said. This unique “workforce” housing project led by the city of Portage is for buyers who make 80% to 120% of the area median income. That’s a salary of $53,680 a year for a single person or $124,200 for a family of five in Kalamazoo County. Each home in Stanwood Crossings costs between $300,272 and $350,107 to build, depending on the number of rooms, bathrooms and floors. They will be listed 25% below that price, said Sheila Strong, broker with Strong Properties — so prices will start at about $225,000.

8. River’s Edge Apartments

A 228-unit affordable housing complex is expected to open at 508 Harrison St. in fall 2026. The $55 million project will offer a mix of residential and retail space, with studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments east of downtown Kalamazoo near the Kalamazoo River. A majority of the units will be rented to people who earn less than 60% of the area median income — $42,360 a year for a single person. Residents will have access to a clubhouse and fitness center overlooking the Kalamazoo River and Kalamazoo Valley River Trail.

9. Kalamazoo Country Club

Greenleaf Hospitality Group plans to open its “world-class” Kalamazoo Country Club facility in 2026. New amenities coming to the private club include multiple pools; courts for pickleball, racquetball and tennis; indoor and outdoor spaces and an expanded golf course area. Its new facility will feature three indoor and two outdoor tennis courts, according to a news release. It’ll also house six indoor and four outdoor lighted pickleball courts. Inside, members will enjoy a lobby, viewing area and locker rooms. Racquets Pro Shop will offer equipment for both sports. Work along Oakland Drive has been underway since 2024. Previous estimates had the project finishing in late 2025.

10. More new schools in Portage

Portage Public Schools plans to open three new elementary schools between 2027 and 2029. The effort is partially funded by a $132.4 million bond passed on the November ballot. Construction began on Woodland Elementary in June. The building will cost $37.8 million, district officials previously said. It’s expected to open first in 2027. Construction on Amberly Elementary School will begin in 2026 and will open in fall 2028, according to PPS. The current Amberly building will remain open for Amberly Elementary students while construction takes place. Construction of a new Angling Road Elementary school will begin in 2027 and the school will open in fall 2029. The district opened two new schools — Central Elementary School and Haverhill Elementary School — in fall 2025. They cost $40.8 million and $35.1 million, respectively.

11. Boys and Girls Clubs building

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kalamazoo expects to welcome youth to its new building in spring 2026. The $11 million project broke ground in September 2024 and will take about 16 months to complete, per city documents. The 22,000-square-foot facility at 825 Portage St. will feature space for computer work, arts and media activities for kids ages 5 to 18. The building will more than double the number of people the nonprofit can serve, CEO Matt Forkin said. It’ll provide quiet study space, areas for games and sports as well as space dedicated to health and wellness, science exploration and other teen-specific activities.

12. Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A is bringing a third restaurant to Kalamazoo County, this one on Gull Road. Developers demolished the former home of the Crafty Crab Restaurant, a 7,233-square-foot building at 5802 Gull Road. Officials have not shared an anticipating opening date, but a Facebook profile for the coming location began sharing updates Dec. 19.

13. Ecumenical Senior Center

An expansion-turned-rebuild of the Northside’s Ecumenical Senior Center, 702 N. Burdick St., is expected to be complete by fall 2026. Since the ’80s, the center has operated out of one large room, Executive Director Tim Barnes said previously. The new facility will have about 16,000 square feet, including a second-floor fitness area, which will allow for additional programming. The center also provides seniors with resources such as meals, food, transportation and medical equipment such as wheelchairs. In 2024, the agency served an average of almost 500 seniors a month.

14. West Main Village

Developers want to turn 48 wooded acres in Oshtemo Township into 444 housing units and more. They’re calling it “West Main Village,” a mixed-use development with 444 units of housing via apartments and duplexes, plus spaces for commercial buildings on West Main Street. The first phase, expected to begin spring 2026, will be commercial buildings, officials said previously. The parcels of land are currently wooded areas across the street from Advia Credit Union, 6400 W. Main St.

15. Zap Zone XL

Michigan-based indoor entertainment complex Zap Zone is expected to open an XL location in Portage in early 2026. Zap Zone XL is moving into the former home of Sears inside The Crossroads mall, 6780 S. Westnedge Ave. The 158,186-square-foot building will host “state-of-the-art” attractions including bowling, go-karts, an adventure park, a skating rink, laser tag, mini golf and an arcade across two floors.

16. PickleRage

PickleRage will move into the former home of D&W Fresh Market at 525 Romence Road in Portage in 2026. The 47,222-square-foot facility will include 10 pickleball courts, lockers, bathrooms and retail space, per city documents. PickleRage announced in June it would bring its second Michigan location to Portage. Developers initially expected to open in late 2025. The building permit process has taken longer than expected, the company said in a post on Facebook. It anticipates opening in the new year.

17. Raising Canes

Originally slated to welcome customers in October 2025, a Raising Cane’s spokesperson said in October the Portage fast-food chicken restaurant will open in January 2026. An outdated strip mall on the corner of Westnedge and Milham avenues was demolished in May 2025. Several businesses — including Rollup Ice Cream and Tea, Little Caesars, Betty Bella Braids and Art and Soul Tattoo — moved out of 6005 and 6021 S. Westnedge Ave. in March to make room. Developers initially wanted to expand into residential properties on Chelsea Avenue, a residential street off of Milham Avenue. Neighbors worried about increased traffic, smells and lights in the area rallied against that site plan, prompting an altered plan.

18. Kroger

Cincinnati-based grocery chain Kroger bought a 71,250-square-foot section of a Portage strip mall for $10.35 million in June. The sale includes the purchases of 6175, 6185, 6195 and 6207 S. Westnedge Ave. — home to Rent-A-Center, Chili’s Grill & Bar, a shuttered Big Lots and now-closed Chuck E. Cheese. The closest Kroger stores are currently located in Jackson and Lansing. After closing 60 “underperforming” locations in June, Kroger announced plans to open at least 30 new locations in “high-growth geographies” in 2026, according to the AP. The company hasn’t announced what it’s plans are for the Portage property.

19. 5135 and 5147 Portage Road

A new Residence Inn at 5135 and 5147 Portage Road is no longer moving forward. Developers backed out of the hotel project after county officials selected a nearby site to serve as its family homeless shelter, Kalamazoo Gazette previously reported. The 93-room, four-story, $24 million project was expected to go up on the site of Brewster’s Fine Food and Spirits and a former gas station. The building’s been demolished, but significant environmental cleanup is still needed on the site. The city of Kalamazoo had awarded a liquor license to the hotel in early 2025. Due to it’s location near the airport and several regional employers in Kalamazoo and Portage, the development promised a sizeable economic impact. Now, the property sits in limbo, waiting for a new vision.

20. Kalamazoo State Theatre

New owners at the Kalamazoo State Theater plan to reopen the 98-year-old landmark in 2027. Restoration efforts will focus on improving accessibility, safety, usability and flow, owner Holly Carmichael said previously. Plans also call for expanding and improving the backstage area, as well as adding additional ground-floor restrooms for women. Renovations will be done with historic preservation in mind. The $1.525 million purchase also includes the recently-closed Harvey’s on the Mall, 416 S. Burdick St.

21. The Legacy

The two-building senior living complex at 730 N. Burdick St., dubbed “The Legacy,” is a public-private partnership between Edison Community Partners and Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The 70-unit, $27 million project is expected to welcome residents in fall 2026, officials said previously. Land for the project was donated by several church members who aged out of homes that once stood on the property. All 70 units will be offered to seniors based on income, per city documents. Those who earn 20% of the area median income, which is about $14,120 a year for a single person, can expect to pay about $344 a month.