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NORTHERN MICHIGAN | General Developments
New year, new thread!
As discussed under the "Michigan Development Threads Organization", let's re-launch a new discussion thread for all general developments in beautiful Northern Michigan. For organizational purposes, "Northern Michigan" is defined here roughly by US Route 10, as illustrated below - ***Here is a link to the previous thread that was started by DetroitSky in August of 2019. For some reason, it does not show up for me in the general listing of threads under the Midwest section.***  Obviously, this represents a vast geographical area with only small pockets of development. Roughly 920,000 people reside in this 41-county region (300,000 of that are in the UP). That equates to about 9% of the population of the entire state residing in roughly 50% of its land area, with the remaining 91% in the lower half of the state. Most of the development discussion on this thread will focus on the principal "large" municipalities of the northern half of the state. I'm defining "large" as anywhere with a population of 8,000+. This includes Marquette, Traverse City, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, East Bay Township, Cadillac, Alpena, Ludington, and Menominee. That is not to say that developments outside of these municipalities cannot be discussed, but the focus should remain on urban areas and / or projects in excess of $1 million construction cost. Tourist destinations & smaller cities / towns with stuff happening - places like Houghton, Iron Mountain, Manistee, Petoskey, Ironwood, Cheboygan, Acme, Negaunee, Hancock, Boyne City, Gaylord, Charlevoix, St. Ignace, Munising, East Jordan, Mackinac Island, Mackinaw City, Interlochen, etc. - though smaller, might also get some attention. Virtually all of these locations are water-adjacent. Other intriguing, post-industrial places - cities like Ishpeming & Negaunee, and villages like Laurium & Calumet - might get some coverage too. The cities highlighted below are organized by population and are arranged from largest to smallest (2020 estimates) - Code:
Marquette - Marquette County |
Project Rundown
Unless noted otherwise, all projects for each location are arranged first by status, then by cost, if known (most to least expensive).
Status Order:
Regional Code:
A2TC - Ann Arbor to Traverse City Passenger Rail Project, proposed ($150+ million)Code:
Two Marquette Place at Founders Landing, under construction (~ $12 million?)Code:
GLC Northern Michigan Pine, under construction ($25.3 million)Code:
New Soo Lock Project, under construction (~ $3.2 billion)Code:
111 N. 3rd St. Redevelopment, approved ($23 million)Code:
The Alexandra Inn, under construction (~ $15 million?)Code:
Cadillac Lofts - Phase 2, proposed (~ $11 million?)Code:
MidMichigan Health New Patient Tower, completed April 2022 ($63.5 million)Code:
Ludington MSHS Renovations & Additions, approved ($45 million)(reserved) Houghton Code:
Michigan Tech Master Plan, proposed (~ $100+ million?)Code:
TownePlace Suites by Marriott, under construction ($16 million)Code:
Hampton Inn & Suites, under construction ($14+ million?)Code:
Petoskey Grand, proposed (~ $20+ million?)Code:
Miners Memorial Heritage Park Expansion, completed late 2022 (~ $500,000?)(reserved) Acme Code:
(Acme Township) KOTI, under construction (~ $50+ million?)Code:
Streetscape Enhancement Project, under construction ($2.1 million)(reserved) Boyne City Code:
Lofts on Lake Street, approved (~ $12 million?)Code:
Otsego County Justice Center, proposed ($29 million)Code:
New Beaver Island Ferry, proposed ($17.5 million)Code:
MSHS St. Ignace Hospital Office Expansion, proposed ($10 million)(reserved) East Jordan Code:
"Joining Jordan" Pedestrian Bridge, completed July 2021 ($2.4 million)Code:
Milliken Nature Center at Arch Rock, completed July 2024 ($7.5 million)(reserved) Interlochen Code:
ICA Dow House, completed August 2021 ($8.5 million)(arranged by estimated cost) Code:
Wells Township - Verso-Billerud Mill Upgrades, proposed (~ $1 billion) |
Marquette -
It seems fitting to start with the largest city covered by this thread - Marquette. It's impressive that a city this small enlisted the aid of a firm with as much stature as SmithGroup to draft a new strategic plan for its downtown. The plan, officially adopted in November 2020, provides a unified, comprehensive vision to guide the future growth of downtown Marquette. You may view the full plan here. Quote:
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Traverse City -
The second-largest city covered by this thread - Traverse City - serves as the de facto hub of the northern half of the lower peninsula. There is a lot of current effort to bring more housing to downtown TC. This article summarizes - Quote:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lvteypt985...digo.jpg?raw=1 Source: The Ticker |
Traverse City -
Speaking of Traverse City's Warehouse District and the Hotel Indigo, there was news a few months ago that another (yet unannounced) national hotel chain is eying property directly adjacent to Hotel Indigo, along West Grandview Parkway, for a new "luxury" hotel. Catching up a little to get this thread up to speed... this article summarizes it well - Quote:
Source: The Ticker |
Traverse City -
Located right behind these development lots, the new 77-uit, 4-story Breakwater Apartments opened its doors to tenants in late 2020. This "luxury" complex was built on the site of a former surface lot & a Fifth Third Bank branch located at 155 Garland Street. The development also includes 10,000 SF of retail space and a residents' parking deck. Half of the retail space was originally intended to be for a restaurant. Quote:
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Source: The Ticker | Innovo Development Group https://www.dropbox.com/s/jkguzgxgwf...ents.jpg?raw=1 Source: Breakwater https://www.dropbox.com/s/m1tkfn86dr...ents.jpg?raw=1 Source: Facebook | Breakwater https://www.dropbox.com/s/1guusw3ia6...ents.jpg?raw=1 Source: Facebook | Breakwater https://www.dropbox.com/s/dv7ax4htj2...ents.jpg?raw=1 Source: Facebook | Breakwater |
Traverse City -
Looking back at the earlier thread, 4Front Credit Union's new downtown Traverse City Headquarters building is on track to be complete by March 2021. Two out of the four commercial units on the ground floor have been leased and there is interest in available space on the second and third floors too. This is under construction at the Southwest corner of W Front and Pine Streets. I'm trying to find some current progress photos of this one - there's a hint of one in the below article - Quote:
Source: The Ticker https://www.dropbox.com/s/5xq24io765...20HQ.jpg?raw=1 Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle | Traverse City Planning Department |
Traverse City -
Another timely "catch up" from the previous thread - a virtual groundbreaking for Commongrounds Cooperative was just held on December 1, 2020, more than 1-1/2 years after its initial approval and after receiving a $1.5 million state grant from the Michigan Community Revitalization Program in October 2020. The 4-story, mixed-use project will be built at the Northwest corner E. Eighth St. & Boardman Ave. on a surface lot. Construction is expected to wrap up in March 2022. Quote:
Source: MyNorth |
Jumping to Alpena -
The new Northland Area Federal Credit Union (NAFCU) Headquarters building appears to be complete, or nearly so. I'm struggling to find a status update or current photos on it, but judging by the context in this recent photo from their Facebook page and this grainy photo from google maps, this is done and occupied. This 4-story, 57,000 SF project broke ground in July 2018, and it represents a big shift for the company as it relocates its base from Oscoda to Alpena. https://www.dropbox.com/s/3rdq60w5ej...20HQ.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7pyls98we5...20HQ.JPG?raw=1 Here is a fairly accurate rendering of what it looks like - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ubc1xx8n99...ring.jpg?raw=1 Source: Wolgast Corporation |
Alpena -
Here's another one out of Alpena. It is from earlier in 2020, but still recent enough and defintely big enough to be worth mentioning on here. MidMichigan Health held a virtual groundbreaking for its new Patient Tower in June 2020. This is a huge project for MidMichigan Health and Alpena - Quote:
Source: hcm2 |
Definitely the tallest building under construction in the region:
Island Casino announces $30M expansion project Quote:
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Well dang! - the existing facilities already seemed massive - over 400,000 SF of gaming floor area? And more than 300 existing guest rooms. With the tower addition factored in they will have a 455 room hotel (according to the September 2020 article below). That puts it on-par with / greater than each of the three Detroit casinos, in terms of hotel rooms.
I will add this to the rundown, under Escanaba (*with an asterisk - it's close enough). Quote:
Source: casino.org |
That casino addition got me thinking for a minute, what is the tallest (occupiable) building structure in the UP? I know that for the upper portion of the lower peninsula (and all of the UP), it is the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa tower (19 stories / 220 ft). But what about only north of the bridge?
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Traverse City (Acme) - (always reminds me of a baby Amway Grand Plaza Hotel) https://www.dropbox.com/s/jssb5z6cp4...0Spa.jpg?raw=1 Source: Pure Michigan The answer? - Harbor Tower Apartments, in Escanaba, at a stunning 18 stories / 185 ft. I didn't realize that the UP's tallest was in Escanaba. I would have guessed Marquette, which doesn't even have the second tallest. That honor apparently goes to the 11-story / 134-ft. R.L. Smith Mechanical Engineering - Engineering Mechanics Building (aka The MEEM) at Michigan Tech. in Houghton.* *EDIT: Thanks to joemitts for pointing out that NMU's Superior Dome stands at 143 ft. (confirmed via Wikipedia). So, although it is not a multi-floor high rise, it is technically an occupiable structure. Marquette - you're back on the map! https://www.dropbox.com/s/mn5dw5b5fe...Dome.jpg?raw=1 Source: MI Blues Perspective Harbor Tower Apartments, Escanaba https://www.dropbox.com/s/kv406lejg9...ents.jpg?raw=1 Source: Pinterest | Bud Lemire The MEEM, Houghton https://www.dropbox.com/s/5kt0m92j1m...ding.jpg?raw=1 Source: www.mtu.edu I'm also adding the fairly-recent "Residence at Harbor Vista" (Phases 1 & 2) project to the Marquette rundown. Phase 1 was completed in Summer of 2018 and Phase 2 opened this past Summer. The combined two buildings have 73 higher-end apartment units that overlook Marquette’s lower harbor (1880 US Highway 41 South Marquette, MI 49855). They were built on the site of an old roadside motel / resort. Veridea Group was the developer - one of the biggest UP-based developers (Marquette). More on their projects later. https://www.dropbox.com/s/8imxv7v4fl...ista.jpg?raw=1 Source: Veridea Group |
Grand Traverse Resort is the tallest building in Michigan north of Flint. The Mott Foundation Building is just 6 feet taller. Its honestly somewhat surprising nothing taller was ever built in northern Michigan. I could see a taller hotel or apartment building being built in Traverse City or Petoskey someday, though.
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Traverse City - Here's a well-detailed, well-researched article about the tax breaks Traverse City is seeking with the TCHC for three affordable housing projects. It includes a schematic rendering of one of the three projects - a new four-story, 46-unit senior living complex called Parkview Apartments at 1223 East Eighth Street. The other two projects involve a new housing complex at 1028 Carver Street (one duplex and two fourplex buildings - Traverse Heights neighborhood) and a "significant remodel" of the 80,000 SF, 115-unit Riverview Terrace at 150 Pine Street. Three & four-story infill projects seem to be the sweet spot in Traverse City right now. And I'm not complaining. The Ticker seems to have a higher caliber of local reporting than some of our news sources "down south" - especially when it comes to development-related news. Quote:
Source: The Ticker |
Escanaba -
Here's another big one for Escanaba. Proxima Management Group (Illinois-based) has been working since at least 2019 toward approvals to redevelop the old Delta County Jail site on a waterfront site in downtown (111 N 3rd St). The new jail opened at 2800 College Avenue in June 2019. From what I can discern so far, as of September 2020, the developer had all necessary approvals in-hand from the Escanaba BRA and City Council. but I can't tell if construction permits have been issued yet. More "digging" required. Here's a link to the agenda and the minutes of the September 17, 2020 meeting where City Council approved the proposed amendments to the "City of Escanaba Brownfield Redevelopment Act 381 Plan" to include the Brownfield Redevelopment 381 Plan for the subject property. This effectively entitles the developer to millions of dollars worth of brownfield-eligible activities for the redevelopment efforts. And here's the most recent news article that I've found so far, from September 2020, which summarizes the development plans - Quote:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kvs1ny2nm3...%201.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7cwdk9j7fg...%202.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/jl6crchicm...%203.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnjy66hqqc...%204.jpg?raw=1 Site Location https://www.dropbox.com/s/2fh8gmdxfo...tion.jpg?raw=1 Eligible Properties https://www.dropbox.com/s/noe78p4i3w...ties.jpg?raw=1 Eligible Property Parcels https://www.dropbox.com/s/sivkczbfcm...cels.jpg?raw=1 Phase 1 Preliminary Site Plan https://www.dropbox.com/s/rawvvkfxh3...Plan.jpg?raw=1 Source: City of Escanaba |
Escanaba / Delta County -
Not to say we get all "hot & bothered" by prison architecture around here, but since I mentioned it in the previous post, here is a link to the (Kalamazoo-based) Architect's web page that features the new Delta County Jail and Sheriff's Office. Technically, the project was completed with a ribbon cutting in January 2019, but the county did not transfer any inmates until June of that year. Here's a Google Street View link if you're interested (satellite view does not show the addition yet). According to the design program - Quote:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nx49r62k6x...%201.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/nx49r62k6x...%201.jpg?raw-1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/gmihv3cwql...%202.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/e86hbx6qu3...%203.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/5w5woqm7qd...%204.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7x7o5orexw...%205.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/kvuztmlijc...%206.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/483tdh2811...%207.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/48ryuxeokc...%208.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/n4cl8cj3xo...%209.jpg?raw=1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/k1ao3lgejh...2010.jpg?raw=1 Source (for all of the above): Byce & Associates, Inc. Here's a sketchy floor plan - addition on the right, remodel on the left - https://www.dropbox.com/s/d011c1gmw2...Plan.jpg?raw=1 Source: Up Matters |
Sault Ste. Marie -
The UP's second largest city is the site of a $1 billion construction project decades in the making - The US Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District - is leading the effort to construct a new Soo Lock in place of the over-one-century-old, functionally obsolete Sabin and Davis locks. The new lock will be 1,200 ft. long - the same dimensions as the existing Poe Lock - which is the primary lock through which all commercial traffic moves. The new lock will add some much-needed redundancy to the system, so that in the eventuality that one ever goes off line, the other can keep running. Practically all shipping traffic on the Great Lakes passes through these locks. The project, originally proposed over 30 years, finally got going in 2020. There are three phases of work -
At the end of 2020, the federal government passed an appropriation bill that grants the project over $124 million in funding. Currently, in this winter's "down time", the USACE is proposing to construct "temporary" field office space in the historic Canal Park, which is immediately adjacent to the Soo Locks ("temporary" in quotes, because the prefab. structures will likely sit there for at least ten years). The structures will reportedly have a "semi-permanent look" - whatever that means, and they will eventually be removed and the site restored - Quote:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5ohb04hydn...rial.jpg?raw=1 Source: USACE - Detroit District And here's a diagram and a rendering of the proposed new Soo Locks. The new lock is on the left, in place of the decommissioned Sabin and Davis locks. Existing Poe Lock and MacArthur Lock on the right to remain - https://www.dropbox.com/s/9qrwy9gpxk...ocks.jpg?raw=1 Source: Duluth News Tribune | Courtesy USACE - Detroit District https://www.dropbox.com/s/l23083y8mo...ring.jpg?raw=1 Source: Duluth News Tribune | Courtesy USACE - Detroit District Here are two photos of upstream channel deepening / dredging work from Spring / Summer 2020. Contractor is Trade West - https://www.dropbox.com/s/a397l8ewef...%201.JPG?raw=1 Source: The Sault News | Courtesy USACE - Detroit District https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3acj280a1...%202.JPG?raw=1 Source: The Sault News | Courtesy USACE - Detroit District And just for fun, here's video of the Stewart J. Cort - the first 1,000-footer to be launched onto the Great Lakes (by Bethlehem Steel in 1972) - passing through the Poe Lock a few years ago. She has a 105.00' beam and 49.0' deep hull. |
Sault Ste. Marie -
Here is another informative and recent article (with audio recording accompaniment) about the ongoing Soo Lock construction - Quote:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rxn995y18x...ock.jpeg?raw=1 Source: WDET | Pat Batcheller There are a number of live cameras in and around the locks. You can link to them here. |
Petoskey -
I've been referring back to the old Northern Michigan Development Thread to look for other things that could be gleaned and brought forward to this new thread. I think the last remaining thing is the many proposals for the troubled 200 E. Lake St. site in downtown Petoskey. This site has a complex history. The most recent news article I found relates to the land immediately adjacent to and west of the primary development site at 200 E. Lake St.. It is separated by just a fence, which has become a common site for posting political signs and for hosting public protests, because it has high visibility along the heavily-trafficked Bay View Rd. (a.k.a. U.S. Rte. 31). In August 2020, Petoskey City Council approved a "People's Park" plan, which designates the land as public park space. This was somewhat controversial, because it in effect means that the area must remain accessible to the public for the foreseeable future, and this makes any development plans on the adjacent parcel more complicated, because, to date, most of the proposals that have come and gone take into account the assumption that this parcel could be acquired to support the development. additionally, the City Council's decision also went against concerns raised by many entities - including the Petoskey City Manager, legal counsel, and the City Parks and Recreation Commission. There is also a designated ROW that runs through this ~ 8,000 SF parcel, which, if ever vacated, would result in that land going to the adjacent property owner. In this case, developer Robert Berg, who purchased 200 E. Lake St. in Fall 2018 from Elias Amash / LCA Associates LLC - another developer with plans that fell through, who had owned the site since late 2013. Amash, in turn, had purchased it from Northwestern Bank after an even earlier development - Petoskey Pointe - failed. Quote:
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By the way, this article is immensely in explaining the messy, early years with the initial developer - it traces things back to 2002 - Quote:
"Petoskey Grand" - the helicopter landing pad is a nice touch. This was shot down by the Planning Commission in July 2019. Initially Proposed / Presented: March 2019 Developer: Robert Berg / Petoskey Grand, LLC Architect: Shoreline Architects https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ymm3ljp3s...rand.jpg?raw=1 Source: Petoskey News-Review | Courtesy Shoreline Architects "Petoskey Gateway" Initially Proposed / Presented: July 2018 Developer: Tom McIntyre / Petoskey Gateway, LLC, with Gibbs Planning Group, Inc. (Urban Planning Consultant) - no land deal ever materialized Architect: None / Unknown https://www.dropbox.com/s/gpppe4bxon...eway.jpg?raw=1 Source: Petoskey News-Review | Courtesy Gibbs Planning Group, Inc. Un-Named(?) 2018 Proposal - I can find very little info on this one, but there is a Petoskey News-review article that mentions it. Sounds like it was very short-lived / speculative. Initially Proposed / Presented: 2018 Developer: Unknown Architect: Non / Unknown Un-Named(?) 2015 Proposal - Successor to "The New Arlington Place" - basically identical design to the previous proposal. Initially Proposed / Presented: May 2015 Developer: John Socks / Socks Construction Architect: Barry J. Polzin Architects https://www.dropbox.com/s/9tb4b38kza...amed.jpg?raw=1 Source: Petoskey News-Review | Courtesy Barry J. Polzin Architects "The New Arlington Place" - same developer as previous; a more solidified successor of "Sunset Square"? Initially Proposed / Presented: November 2014 Developer: Elias Amash / LCA Associates LLC Architect: Barry J. Polzin Architects https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tpttzmq7t...lace.jpg?raw=1 Source: Petoskey News-Review | Courtesy Barry J. Polzin Architects "Sunset Square" Initially Proposed / Presented: March(?) 2014 Developer: Elias Amash / LCA Associates LLC Architect: None / Unknown I can't find any images for this, and I think it basically evolved into "The New Arlington Place", above. "Petoskey Pointe - Multiple Iterations" - Only project to get shovels in the ground. Demolition of existing structures on the block occurred in 2006, preliminary excavations through early 2007 before the development company's financial difficulties started to surface. Initially Proposed / Presented: Late 2002 through 2005 Developer: Mike Uzelac / Lake Street Petoskey Associates Designers: Edgewater Design Group, CitySimulation One Version - https://www.dropbox.com/s/59tz37wuim...%20B.jpg?raw=1 Source: CitySimulation Another Version (I think this is the earlier of the two, but not 100% sure) :shrug: - https://www.dropbox.com/s/8dhyuqz7ud...%20A.JPG?raw=1 Source: Edgewater Design Group |
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