Plans announced for new Forestville neighborhood

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - A 150-year-old U.P. company announced plans Wednesday for a new residential community named Forestville in the Marquette area.

Longyear says Forestville will be a unique residential community that will bring higher-quality new homes to outdoor-active people who access Marquette and Michigan’s largest all-season trail network.

The roughly 160-acre property, which Longyear owns, is mostly in Marquette Township between Forestville Road and a Dead River basin. A press release issued Wednesday included a map that shows five phases of construction. Longyear says the current site plan depicts 237 units, but it is continually evaluating the final number.

The plans were unveiled a day before Marquette Township holds a work session with the Marquette County Road Commission about traffic flow in the area. The development would increase traffic at the current intersection of Marquette County Road 492 and Forestville Road.

Longyear says as part of the due diligence process to vet the project’s potential, it has been working with county and township officials to get ahead of these issues. Longyear says it has invested in a traffic impact study to identify entry locations into the development during construction and beyond.

Longyear says the innovative neighborhood will feature thoughtfully built homes, utilizing regional forest products crafted into modern U.P. lifestyle floor plans. Forestville will unveil housing designs and neighborhood plans in late 2022 and begin taking reservations in spring 2023 for move-in in 2024.

The company says because it’s still in the early planning stages and are currently completing due diligence, specific resident price points are not yet available. Final pricing will be impacted by building costs, labor availability, and amenities.

Longyear says the Forestville community will be ideally situated for scenic views and access to the surrounding landscape. The new neighborhood is expected to attract a wide variety of home buyers locally, regionally, and from outside the U.P.

Longyear says Forestville offers features that are distinct from other Midwest housing developments:

Immediate access to the adjacent trail networks and waterways.
Environment-friendly construction featuring locally sourced materials from regional forests.
A variety of housing options for active young professionals, families, retirees, and others ranging from townhomes to single-family homes.
An active neighborhood concept that inspires healthy living, comfort, and environmental stewardship.
Hundreds of construction jobs throughout the project’s lifespan.

“Forestville has been inspired by the active people of the U.P. who love spending time outdoors in our beautiful natural surroundings,” Longyear CEO Steve Hicks said in a press release. “Our community will offer high quality, thoughtfully designed homes in a neighborhood that gives people the escape they deserve.”

In development since 2021, Longyear says Forestville is driven by the substantial demand for housing in the region, combined with the significant increase in active, outdoor-minded consumers. The project was undertaken as a way to address a growing U.P. trend — housing shortages. Two independent studies by InvestUP and Michigan Technological University found that the lack of available housing is both a significant challenge and the region’s greatest opportunity to retain and attract professionals and retirees to our area.

Longyear says Forestville helps to solve a major housing crisis by filling the gap for a higher level of needed housing. It will help keep residents in Marquette while attracting new ones. Marquette County’s population has been declining at least since the 2010 census. Some of this decline can be directly linked to a lack of high-quality homes in favorable neighborhood settings.

Hicks notes that green space and a low environmental impact have been, and remain, very important considerations in Longyear’s approach to designing the project for future customers.

“Longyear’s plan is to preserve 50% — a substantial portion of the property — as non-developable green space,” Hicks said. “We’re collaborating with our professional team and some key stakeholders to design our community to have the least possible amount of environmental impact.”

In a frequently asked questions section on its website, Longyear says residents and visitors will still be able to access the Noquemanon Trail Network that currently runs through its land. Longyear has owned property in the Forestville area for more than 125 years, and has provided the community with free recreational access to the land for decades.

“The trails are a treasured asset for our whole community,” says Hicks. “We’re pleased that so many people have enjoyed the trails on Longyear land over the years. Forestville gives us an opportunity to work with the trail networks to strategically plan more recreation opportunities for future generations to enjoy.”

Forestville is the newest brand of the Longyear Corporation family of business across the U.P. Longyear has a 150-year track record of embracing opportunity and growing long-term value. Current companies include Able Medical Devices, JML Forestry and Northern Hardwoods. Collectively, these companies support 230 direct jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs.

Longyear says Forestville will also have a direct positive economic impact on area residents. During the estimated five years it will take to complete the Forestville project, Longyear says it will create more than 100 additional family sustaining jobs and provide a new substantial tax base within Marquette Township.

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About Longyear: Longyear is a privately held entrepreneurial asset management company based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with a 150-year track record of embracing opportunity and growing long-term value.

Longyear’s current portfolio includes significant holdings of commercial timberlands and ferrous and nonferrous mineral rights, lumber manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and public/private investments. Current companies include Able Medical Devices, JML Forestry and Northern Hardwoods. Find more information about Longyear at jmlongyear.com.

About Forestville: Forestville is part of the Longyear family of companies, based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The community will provide ideally situated, sustainably designed residential opportunities for a wide variety of buyers in the Marquette, Michigan area.

The Forestville neighborhood will embrace the surrounding Noquemanon Trail Network and provide outdoor-active residents with immediate access to adjacent public trails and waterways. Diverse home types will be carefully positioned to provide privacy and promote a feeling of community. Planning for Forestville has been in development since early 2021, with move-in anticipated for 2024. Learn more at liveforestville.com.

About Marquette, Michigan: Marquette is a city in Marquette County in Michigan. The population was 20,629 at the 2020 United States Census, which makes it the largest city in the Upper Peninsula. Marquette serves as the seat of government of Marquette County. The city of Marquette was named one of the Top Ten Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and has received numerous awards for its quality of life.