Pictured is an aerial view of the Empire Mine, which was indefinitely idled in August 2016. The Ishpeming City Council at its regular meeting tonight will hear an update on Project Empire, a state intitiative intended to help displaced workers and surrounding communities recover from the loss of 300 high-paying jobs. (Journal file photo)

ISHPEMING — The Ishpeming City Council will hear an update on Project Empire during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Ishpeming City Hall.

John Iacoangeli, who provides landscape architecture, planning and environmental services through a consulting firm in Petoskey, toured Ishpeming in August to collect information that was to be presented to the Michigan Economic Development Corp., which oversees Project Empire’s implementation.

Iacoangeli was responding to an MEDC request to investigate whether historic buildings downtown could be incorporated as an asset in the community’s economic recovery efforts.

Project Empire was announced by Gov. Rick Snyder in August 2016 to address municipal and regional challenges caused by the loss of about 300 high-paying jobs with the indefinite idling of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s Empire Mine.

The council will also consider hearing a resolution to support an Upper Peninsula Power Co. initiative to replace existing high-pressure sodium lighting with new energy-efficient light emitting diode — or LED — lamps on municipal streetlights in the UPPCO service area.

The council will also request that UPPCO undertake an inventory of municipal streetlights in Ishpeming in an effort to increase energy efficiency by eliminating any unnecessary lights not required for public safety.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.