Commissioner Cary Gottlieb, Commissioner Jessica Hanley, Commissioner Michael Larson, Commissioner Cody Mayer and Mayor Pro Tem Jeremy Ottaway all voted yes, while Commissioner Sally Davis voted no. Mayor Paul Schloegal was excused from Monday’s meeting.

The vote came after considerable public comment and discussion by the commission, with considerations heard from both sides.

The original approved plan for the Vault project involved “redevelopment of the Marquette Savings Bank at 101 S. Front St. and 119 Lakeshore Boulevard

into a boutique hotel, commercial space, residences and public parking facility, as well as other public improvements,” as stated by Marquette City Clerk Kyle Whitney at a July 2021 meeting of the Marquette City Commission, where the plan was approved by the Commission.

At that same meeting, site architect Barry Polzin clarified that the “200-plus parking structure will be 100 percent public.”

This plan was recently amended due to site concerns relating to the feasibility of constructing the parking structure partially underground at that site.

As it stands, the project will be completed in two phases. According to the Act 381 Brownfield Plan Amendment for Vault Marquette, “the first phase will be the development of an 80-room hotel with an adjacent two-story parking deck on the Lakeshore Boulevard property by 100 S. Lakeshore Blvd., LLC, with attendant public infrastructure improvements.

“The second phase will be the redevelopment of the historic State Savings Bank building, with a 21,000 square foot addition to the south and the addition of third level to the parking deck by Marquette Vault, LLC. Through an arrangement with the (Marquette) Downtown Development Authority, parking for the public will be available.”

Residential units are no longer a part of the project plan, nor are the 200 public parking spots.

According to Marquette city planning and zoning administrator David Stensaas, phase one, the Trestle Hotel project, will begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2027.

“The next phase will connect that development to the intended Vault hotel project, with a short bridge that will provide access between the two properties,” said Stensaas. “I believe that they intend to complete that in less than five years and be underway or even done with the construction of the Vault project by then.”

“It is a big change, I won’t deny it,” said Hanley, who voted yes on the amendment. “But what I like about it is that a developer was faced with problems that they didn’t expect in the beginning and they shifted to make development still happen in our area while working within the confines of what they were given.”

In regards to the issue of parking, Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs stated that “the DDA is working on negotiating some usage for daytime parking, especially at those times where it’s going to be underutilized because guests are leaving.”

“It also seems clear from the parking studies we’ve done in the past that hotels do not use all their parking every single day, all day,” said Deputy City Manager Sean Hobbins. “They primarily use all their parking at night during peak season. There is a lot of availability in those lots and it behooves the developer to have an arrangement where that parking is used to its maximum.”

As part of the second phase of construction, developer Jen Julien stated that an additional 40 parking spaces would be created on the third level parking deck, some of which would be available for public use.

The no vote from Davis, reflected some of the stated public concerns about obstructed lake views.

“(The project) makes me sad because it removes another view of Lake Superior from our general public,” said Davis. “I’m also sad because of the congestion that will happen in that area of our city and the feeling of more claustrophobia on that road … these (lake) views will be reserved for the people that are staying at that hotel, our visitors.”

Earlier in the meeting, Hanley addressed this concern, saying, “I know that a lot of people have been worried about the views of local businesses on Washington Street. And while I can feel for that, I also like to look at it as they’ve been lucky to have them for as long as they have. The project that’s proposed is within the land development code. So even without a brownfield, someone could build on that property with the same structure.”

Specifically, the plan amendment involves an obstruction of the lake view from the Vierling and Elizabeth’s Chop House restaurants.

“I like that the DDA is going to be getting more tax money or more development money … I think Marquette really needs it,” said Gottleib as he clarified his yes vote. “I also think it fits the LDC, and the planning commission has done its job and approved this. I can’t fault them. As Commissioner Davis said, it can happen without the brownfield money. I just am hoping that maybe this opens our eyes that we really do need a hotel tax, a bed tax, and that (Julien) will be in favor of it when it comes.”

“I want to commend my fellow commissioners tonight for having a great discussion about the Brownfield Amendment Plan,” said Ottaway. “… ultimately everyone that sits up here does their homework. They do their research. People put in the time … I am very very pleased by the people that are sitting next to me and I hope the community is as well because we take what you have to say seriously.”

“We had um a number of questions and back and forth with every single commissioner

between staff and commission,” said Kovacs. “It was definitely a reassuring feeling here to know that there’s homework that has been done and that all the information we are providing is what makes the decisions that you see up here. I really commend the City Commission for making such a tough, tough decision. The pros and the cons out there are certainly something to be weighed … this is a significant investment into our community, and for a project that would not otherwise be able to be accomplished without the public support and without the brownfield support.

“… I look forward to the continued partnership with the DDA to make sure that the parking and the traffic and the views and everything that we heard tonight is addressed, and hopefully we come to an understanding once we start seeing the ribbons cut.”

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.