SAGINAW, Mich. — For decades, much of the conversation surrounding Potter Street Station centered on how to keep the landmark standing.
Now the conversation is increasingly about what comes next.
Saginaw Transit Authority and Regional Services has expressed interest in acquiring the historic Potter Street Station and transforming the property for a new use while preserving its historic character. The development was highlighted Thursday, Aug. 6, as community members gathered to discuss the future of the nearly 145-year-old structure.
The idea is not new, but acquiring the property would represent another step toward making it happen.
In June 2023, the STARS Board of Directors formally selected Potter Street Station as its preferred expansion site following a yearlong feasibility study completed with Spicer Group, HDR and Spence Brothers. The review examined potential sites, environmental justice considerations, agency needs and community feedback.
Glenn Steffens, STARS Executive Director at the time, said that redevelopment could do more than provide the transit system with additional space. The agency saw the property as a potential economic development catalyst for Saginaw’s Northeast Neighborhood.
Built in 1881, Potter Street Station is one of Saginaw’s most recognizable surviving transportation landmarks. Time, fire, vandalism and years of uncertainty have repeatedly threatened the property, but preservation efforts have kept it standing.
The latest movement offers something the station has lacked for years: the possibility of a long-term use.
Funding, ownership arrangements and the scope of redevelopment still must be resolved. But if the plans advance, a building created during Saginaw’s railroad era could once again become a transportation center — this time serving a very different city.
