Make room for Lowe’s

By KIM HOYUM, Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — The former Sears building in Marquette Township was taken down this week to make room for the construction of a Lowe’s home improvement store.


Construction on the new Lowe’s is expected to start shortly, Marquette Township Manager Randy Girard said.


The building will be going up near the intersection of Brickyard Road and U.S. 41 in the township, behind the site of the former Sears building.


The Sears building is being moved by its owner to a different location he owns, Girard said. The land itself had been leased by Sears’ owner and will become the parking lot area for Lowe’s, he said.


The only issue remaining with the construction is that a decision has not been made by the Michigan Department of Transportation about whether a traffic light at that intersection should be put in, Girard said.


The decision rests with MDOT officials in Lansing. The traffic signal would mean the main entrance to Lowe’s would be on Brickyard Road.


If the traffic light is not approved, Lowe’s would change the main entrance to share an entry road to U.S. 41 with Gordon Food Service, he said.


Girard added Lowe’s is proceeding with construction as though the traffic light will be approved by MDOT, but the entrance could easily be shifted.


Basic development on the site is nearly finished, with water containment basins having been added, and construction of the building itself is expected to start soon, he said.


“They have a fairly aggressive construction schedule from what I understand,” Girard said.