NORTHERN MICHIGAN | General Developments

[joemits]

The old pilings shown above will soon become a public access pier using Founders Landing brownfield TIF funds. Construction, starting this spring, was awarded to JF Brennan out of Duluth MN for a bid not to exceed $5,670,000.00. Two piers will be built. The photo above only shows the northern pilings. The new piers will be used for small craft docking, kayak launch, public access with the longer southern most pier having end space for smaller events. Link to schematic drawings below:

https://www.marquettemi.gov/construction/

[joemits]

An interesting project that deserves mention is The Honorable Distillery. It's going into the old Bookworld store on the 100 block of West Washington St and is currently under construction. Plans are to restore the outside to its formal glory when it was The Nordic Theatre. Screen grab below from their website



https://www.thehonorabledistillery.com/

[deja vu]

Ludington -

MCC's Lofts on Rowe project. The interior is all cleaned up now -


Source: LinkedIn | Marilyn Crowley (MCC)






Source: LinkedIn | MCC

[deja vu]

Traverse City -

Old City Hall underwent a remodel beginning in Fall 2018 that wrapped up earlier this year. It now houses offices for Kalamazoo-based Greenleaf Trust. The 15,000 SF building was originally constructed in 1904 -

New Transformation for Old City Hall

Source: Windemuller

[joemits]

That looks beautiful!

[joemits]

The Braveworks project in Downtown Marquette took a step forward as the Marquette City commission voted 5 to 2 to approve brownfield money for the 200 space public parking garage. This would make a currently private surface parking lot, a public garage with green roof and view corridors for some popular Front street businesses. Financially, it also helps the Braveworks team make this project a reality. Win, win...

[deja vu]

^ That's great to see!

In Traverse City, something is happening with the planned Rotary Square & reimagined Farmers Market. DDA board members met yesterday to consider approving a $40,000 contract with SmithGroup to conduct a new study with updated construction costs, concepts. and renderings -

DDA Eyes Next Steps For Farmers Market, Rotary Square
By Beth Milligan | The Ticker
July 16, 2021

[deja vu]

Boyne City -

Great Lakes Energy HQ expansion is wrapping up. This project provides additional infrastructure and space for the growing utility company -










Source: LinkedIn | Spence Brothers

[SIGSEGV]

Snapped this in Marquette a few days ago:



Also, what looks to be a Hampton Inn or something like it is almost complete in Houghton (a rehab of an older hotel?), but I wasn't able to grab a picture.

[deja vu]

^ Thank you for those updates!

Petoskey -

North Central Michigan College (NCMC) recently celebrated the grand opening of its new, $7.4 million Borra Learning Center. A ribbon-cutting and public open house took place on August 19, 2021 -




Source: LinkedIn | Neumann/Smith Architecture

Formerly known as the Administration/Classroom Building, the Borra Learning Center has been extensively renovated. Features include seven new high-tech classrooms and a new 3,000-square-foot Student Commons, which boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the college’s Harris Gardens.

North Central President David Roland Finley said the project is a historic renovation and addition to one of the busiest buildings on the college’s Petoskey campus.

“Since the building opened in 1967, thousands of students have passed through its doors on their way to an associate degree and the next step of their career or college journey,” Finley said. “Now the Borra Learning Center is beautifully equipped to better prepare future generations of students for success in a technology-driven world.”

Source: NCMC

[deja vu]

Here's an update article on the big projects happening in Alpena, including the MidMichigan Health new patient tower and Alpena Community College's Van Lare Hall renovation. There's also an update on a more engineering-oriented project, the reconstruction / modernization of the Bagley Street Bridge -

Major projects progressing in Alpena
The Alpena News
September 9, 2021

ALPENA — Nearly $100 million worth of development and infrastructure projects in Alpena continue to move forward. Construction crews are working hard to complete ongoing construction projects at the Mid-Michigan Medical Center-Alpena, Alpena Community College, and on the Bagley Street Bridge. Hiccups can accompany major projects, but so far major issues have been avoided...

The all-but-finished Van Lare Hall Renovation at ACC -



The new patient tower at MidMichigan Health Medical Center-Alpena -

Source: The Alpena News | Steve Schulwitz

[deja vu]

Petoskey -

McLaren Northern Michigan recently celebrated the opening of its ~179,000 SF expansion. Here are some photos, courtesy of Spence Brothers -


















Source: LinkedIn | Spence Brothers

[deja vu]

Traverse City -

West Shore Bank is effectively complete, with office furniture move-in starting last week. Next door, Commongrounds is really coming along; it's fully-framed and getting enclosed -






Source: LinkedIn | Cunningham-Limp

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Also, what looks to be a Hampton Inn or something like it is almost complete in Houghton (a rehab of an older hotel?), but I wasn't able to grab a picture.

I think I figured out what this must be. The former Magnuson Hotel / Franklin Square Inn at 820 Shelden Ave. is indeed being renovated into a Hampton Inn. Julien Properties announced early last year that it was purchasing the hotel from U.P. Hotel Group, Inc. The exterior and interior are being heavily renovated. The former port-cochere and fitness center in front have been removed, along with some of the projecting volumes on the upper floors. Barry J. Polzin is the architect. According to this article,

Renovations will add 13 net rooms, bringing the total to 117, according to materials submitted for the site plan review Tuesday. Parking for the new rooms will also be added.

Thanks for bringing it to the attention of this forum; I for one, was unaware of it.






Source: travelhoughton.com

[deja vu]

Sault Ste. Marie -

Downtown MAC Building to be renovated into multi-use structure
Taylor Worsham | The Sault News
August 25, 2021

SAULT STE. MARIE — The city and McClellan Realty, LLC, are partnering up to renovate a historic and deteriorating structure into a new mixed-use commercial and residential development. The Sault Ste. Marie Brownfield Redevelopment Authority will use an $850,000 brownfield redevelopment grant from... EGLE, to pay for remediation activities...

The 13,000 SF MAC Building, constructed in the early 1900's at 411 W. Portage Ave., has been vacant for over three decades. It is located right across the street from the Soo Locks and it served as a laundry facility for over half a century, before closing in the 1970s. The developer intends to repurpose the building into ground-floor commercial with 10 residential units above. Estimated costs are $3.5 million -


Source: The Sault News

[deja vu]

Grayling -

Happening next week, at 100 Michigan Avenue. By Grayling standards, this is basically a skyscraper -

Sawmill Lofts to Celebrate Groundbreaking Downtown Grayling
MCC Press Release
September 13, 2021

Source: MCC

[deja vu]

Traverse City -

309 W. Front St., now named West End Lofts, broke ground this week. The $25.3 million, 4-story development will have 91 rental units, 14 of which will be dedicated to 80% or less of the median area income. It will also have below-grade parking. This is being built adjacent to the new 4Front Credit Union HQ. I must have had my projects crossed, because looking at the rendering in the article below, I thought that this was the proposal for 124 W. Front St. -

Ground broken on downtown Traverse City housing, retail project
Roxanne Werly | Up North Live
September 15, 2021

Source: MLive | MEDC via GLC Northern Michigan Pine, LLC

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by deja vu

I think I figured out what this must be. The former Magnuson Hotel / Franklin Square Inn at 820 Shelden Ave. is indeed being renovated into a Hampton Inn. Julien Properties announced early last year that it was purchasing the hotel from U.P. Hotel Group, Inc. The exterior and interior are being heavily renovated. The former port-cochere and fitness center in front have been removed, along with some of the projecting volumes on the upper floors. Barry J. Polzin is the architect. According to this article,



Thanks for bringing it to the attention of this forum; I for one, was unaware of it.






Source: travelhoughton.com

Well, it looks like a Hampton, but I could definitely see myself staying there in the future given the location. Will probably get quote a bit of traffic from people taking the ferry to Isle Royale as well

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Well, it looks like a Hampton, but I could definitely see myself staying there in the future given the location. Will probably get quote a bit of traffic from people taking the ferry to Isle Royale as well

The architecture of the original hotel was so unique / such a product of its time, that this rebranding effort seems like they are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Yeah. it basically resembles the modern Hampton Inn branding now, but with some funky massing and weird overhangs that you would never see in a ground-up, brand-new build.

[joemits]

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Two Marquette Place update