National Historic District
ALBION, INDIANA
Historic Property Available
Town Hall (est.1930)
Request for Proposals is NOW OPEN!
The Town of Albion has issued an exploratory solicitation to seek out creative ideas in the form of a non-binding proposal and gauge specific investment interest that might exist to address the next use for this vacant historic building (not individually listed, however a "contributing" structure to the Albion Courthouse Square Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.)
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: August 22, 2025
Albion's Board of Trustees in May 1930 issued a Notice to Contractor seeking bids for the construction of "A Fire Station and Town Building." Bids of such construction would be accepted by the town’s board of trustees, made up at that time by Dr. Walter Carver, John F. Gatwood and Fred B. Moore. It stated that this building would be constructed on South Orange Street in “strict accordance with plans and specifications prepared by and under the direction of Architect Alvin M. Strauss," a famous Hoosier architect born in Kendallville and responsible for designing many well-known structures in Northeast Indiana including the Embassy Theatre, Lincoln Bank Tower, Clyde Theatre, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, and others in Fort Wayne. The historic performing arts theater at the Community Learning Center in Kendallville, also designed by Strauss, was recently named in his honor. It is now called the Strauss Theatre for Performing Arts. Read more about the building's history from the late Bob Gagen, long-time Noble County historian, here.
The Albion Town Hall building is one story tall and has a limestone foundation. Its walls are composed of auburn-colored bricks; stone coping is at the top of the walls. The building's front wall is divided into three parts; each part is separated by a brick pilaster. The corner pilasters are capped by stone capitals that are carved with Art Deco designs. The south part is the widest part; it (formerly formed) a garage bay opening with a large (aluminum) garage door (today, the wall features five windows installed during a repurposing of the building.) The north part has three 1/1 metal windows with stone sills (this may have been modified.) The middle part is narrow and has the entry. The entry has a stone surround. The top of the surround is pointed like an abstract form of a pediment. "Town of Albion" is carved into the pediment. Between the top of the pediment and the top of the wall are seven vertical rows of bricks that are stepped to the center, tallest row. The building (formerly had) a metal tower with a fire alarm on a platform above the building. (The tower was removed during a renovation and repurposing; the bell is reportedly retained by the Town of Albion.)
(Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places application for the Albion Courthouse Square Historic District, 2013.)
The interior of this building has been remodeled within the past 15 years and features three distinct spaces: Two offices and a half bath on the north end and a conference/meeting room and accessible half bath on the south end. The building is accessible via a ramp on the south side of the building, adjacent to a "pocket park" maintained by the Albion STAR Team and an interior ramp for access to the slightly lower-level conference/meeting room and restroom. The building features a large, full basement with ample space for storage. The basement is serviced by two electric sump pumps. More detailed information, including a commercial building inspection report, is contained with the Request for Proposals. The Albion STAR Team has independently confirmed that a new, commercial roof was installed on the building in 2017 and an inspection of its condition in June 2025 revealed a little dirt on the roof, but otherwise the roof remains in very good condition.
Support Our Proposal
The Albion STAR Team, the town's Main Street affiliate organization, is preparing to submit a proposal and invites any Albion-serving organization or association that would benefit from shared/public use of the space to contact us for more information about how to have a "seat at the table" as we submit creative ideas to preserve and maintain this historic building and enhance services provided to the Albion community.
Some of the opportunities we envision include shared meeting spaces, co-working spaces, consolidated storage spaces for local non-profit service organizations, winter and pop-up markets, Christmas and festival events, sub-leased professional office spaces, public lobby information distribution, and more.
Please call Lori Gagen, STAR Team President, at (260) 564-4556 to learn more. Hurry, the deadline is coming quickly!