Negaunee residents will have noticed significant construction in the downtown area, which is part of the city’s Downtown Enhancement streetscape project.

The city of Negaunee has been active over the past few years in giving the historic downtown a facelift and this summer’s project represents possibly the biggest renovations under the stewardship of City Manager Nate Heffron, who says that the project is more than just a face lift but represents a major step forward in securing the town’s economic future.

The streetscape project aims to combine public infrastructure, improvements to facades of buildings downtown and pedestrian amenities designed to create a downtown district that offers walkability and a unique environment to promote business growth, create outdoor social gathering opportunities, increase walkability and connectivity, and improve the community’s overall image.

The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Michigan Department of Transportation Small Urban Development funds, and an $885,000 Michigan Economic Development Corporation Revitalization and Placemaking grant, kicked off in earnest last summer with upgrades to public infrastructure on Iron Street by replacing aged water mains, electrical systems, sidewalks and roadways, and included realignment of the Iron-Pioneer Street intersection.

A more in depth look at the overall project can be found in the Saturday edition of The Mining Journal, but anyone who has been paying attention knows that Negaunee has been at the forefront of modernization efforts in the area while still aiming to maintain the rich history of the area

We applaud the city of Negaunee and their efforts to keep the area thriving and moving into the future.