Report finished for Teal Lake Waterworks building

NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WLUC) - City Manager Nate Heffron announced the completion of the Teal Lake Waterworks Building Special Advisory Committee’s work.

The committee was charged with several core duties related to the old waterworks building located on Teal Lake. These include the review of the structural exterior and interior components of the building, determining reuse for the building and its grounds, determining the scope of work and estimated costs for reuse, rehabilitation, and occupancy, and presenting their findings and recommendations to the City Council.

The committee presented its findings to the council on January 12. The presentation included a brief history of the Waterworks Budling from its conception to its current status. The committee also presented an informative video of the waterworks’ history and renderings of what this building could look like if restored for public use.

“The property in question is encumbered by an agreement signed with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), this happened when the city was awarded a grant for a fishing dock located on the property in 1996,” said Heffron.

The encumbrance locks the city into an agreement, guaranteeing the property will only be used for public recreational purposes, barring any thoughts for private or commercial uses.

The committee suggested that the building might be used as a historical/welcome center for Teal Lake, Negaunee, native inhabitants, and the iron ore industry. The committee also recognized that there could be issues centered around any reuse, such as lack of parking, access to the current boat launch, and whether or not any of the buildings’ grounds would need to be used for future safety enhancements at the intersection of Teal Lake Avenue, Croix Street, and US-41.

Council has not decided to take any action as of yet, the report presented was only to provide the committee’s findings. Future decisions concerning the building will be made at a later date.

“I thank this committee for the hard work and professionalism they have put into this project. They have gone above and beyond, providing the city with a great product, and have shown great potential for this historic building,” Heffront said.

Those interested in reviewing the full report or viewing the informative video can do so by following this link.

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