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MARQUETTE -- The Marquette City Commission received an update on the Vault Marquette Development Plan from the Marquette City Brownfield Authority during a Tuesday evening meeting.
Marquette City Brownfield Authority Executive Director Sheri Davie gave a presentation during the commission meeting which detailed many of the projects that the brownfield authority has worked on and continues to work on, with special emphasis being placed on the Vault Marquette hotel project, which is currently slated to create 90 hotel rooms, up to 40 apartment units and a new multi-level parking structure that will hold more than 200 parking spots on the Lakeshore Boulevard site.
The plan aims to renew the old State Savings Bank location with the new 70,000-square-foot site which will house the new hotel complex.
The brownfield authority estimates that the project will see more than $30 million of investment.
"Things seem to be coming along very well, and if you've had an opportunity to see the Vault Houghton, I think you'll be excited about Vault Marquette," Davie said. "It's just astounding what they did with it and what I like about all the projects that we've done is the historical integrity."
The project was approved in April, with an agreement that calls for completion of the work to be done within 40 months.
"There is no doubt that the brownfield program has really enhanced our community. You just have to drive down the street to see that," Commissioner Sally Davis said.
Brownfield projects in the city of Marquette also received a jump start, as the city was awarded a $964,250 grant by the Environmental Protection Agency for the clean up of the former Cliffs-Dow site at 100 Wright St. and 2001 Lakeshore Blvd.
"The city of Marquette is grateful to have been awarded an EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant which will be used to help the city address legacy contamination left from the historic Cliffs-Dow manufacturing site," Marquette Mayor Cody Mayer said in a press release. "This money is earmarked to help reduce on-site impacts to the environment and assist in putting this property back to productive use in the city."
The former site was used as a charcoal pig iron plant, a wood chemical plant and a producer of acetic acid and methanol, which contaminated the site.
Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 542. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net.