Central Michigan University has started work on a new 90,000-square-foot medical education building in Saginaw. The project will give its College of Medicine a permanent home and aims to open in fall 2028.
Central Michigan University has started building the MyMichigan Health CMU Medical Education Building in Saginaw. The official groundbreaking took place on September 22, 2026. University leaders, MyMichigan Health, Covenant HealthCare, and U.S. Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet attended the event. Local media and city officials confirmed the start of construction. The project will run through 2028. Faculty and staff are expected to move in over the summer, and the first group of students will begin classes in fall 2028, according to Central Michigan University news.
The new building will cover about 90,000 square feet. It will bring all four years of CMU's Doctor of Medicine program together in Saginaw for the first time. Until now, students split their time between Mount Pleasant and Saginaw. This move will make it easier for students to work with clinical partners like MyMichigan Health and Covenant HealthCare. It will also help CMU build stronger ties with the Saginaw community and local healthcare systems. The project fits into the City of Saginaw's Medical Diamond plan, which aims to create a healthcare and bioscience district along the riverfront and near hospital campuses, as described on the City of Saginaw portal.
The building will have five stories. The first four floors will be used for classrooms, simulation labs, exam spaces, and student areas. The fifth floor will hold mechanical systems. The design includes modern classrooms, labs for simulation and anatomy, student commons, and faculty offices. The look of the building will reference Saginaw's industrial and architectural past. The facility is built to support up to 130 students per class, up from the current 104, depending on clinical placement spots. HDR Inc. designed the building with lots of natural light, flexible learning spaces, and wellness features. Both university and community members gave input on the design.
This is the largest fundraising project in CMU's history. MyMichigan Health and Covenant HealthCare each gave $40 million. The CMU Board of Trustees approved the $100 million investment in June 2026. In November 2025, the medical school was renamed Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University. This name change shows the close partnership with local health systems and the Saginaw County Health Department. The State of Michigan has also recognized the project's importance for workforce development and healthcare access in the region, as noted in recent state education and economic briefings.
CMU's decision to move all medical education to Saginaw is expected to affect the whole region. The university will keep health and research programs at its Mount Pleasant campus, but Saginaw will become the main site for medical education. This change will free up space in Mount Pleasant for more nursing and allied health programs. These changes support goals set by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and local school boards to address doctor shortages and improve healthcare in rural and underserved areas.
The new building's place in the Medical Diamond district is expected to boost the local economy, open new chances to work with Saginaw Valley State University, and give the city a steady academic anchor for its ongoing renewal efforts. The City of Saginaw's planning commission and local leaders have pointed out that projects like this help attract and keep healthcare workers, support public health programs, and improve emergency services coordination.
As construction moves forward, CMU and its partners will keep working with city agencies, including the Saginaw City Council and Saginaw Public Schools, to make sure the building meets community needs and fits local development plans. Public updates and hearing notices about the project are available through the city's official channels and the university's news portal. The new MyMichigan Health CMU Medical Education Building shows how regional partners are working together to improve healthcare education and access in Michigan.
