Planned housing development in Marquette Township addresses middle-income housing

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - Marquette County continues to see a housing crisis.

A new development is looking to address missing middle-incoming housing. The proposed site is just south of the Goodwill store in Marquette Township at the corner of Brookton Road and County Road 492.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Jason McCarthy says the developers specialize in this type of housing.

“We reached out to Renovare Development LLC. They’re a downstate development team and they kind of specialize in missing middle, or workforce housing, so, we’re not talking about low-income housing per se. Nurses, fireman, policeman, teachers, those are the people that we’re really trying to reach out to,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy says phase one environmental assessments are happening now at the site. The development will bring up to 47 new residential homes to the township. McCarthy also says the development is ideally located.

“It’s positioned very well in the community we think. It’s adjacent to some commercial development and we would tie that in with commercial we would also tie it in to Schwemwood Park and the Iron Ore Heritage Trails so, we’re really excited about the project,” McCarthy said.

The cost of the Renovare Development is estimated at around $15 million with plans to start construction next year. McCarthy says this will help with keeping workforce talent in the area.

“Thankfully Marquette and the surrounding area is very desirable area right now, but, if you don’t have the housing and the opportunities for those people to stay here and thrive here, then they’re going to leave to go somewhere else,” McCarthy added.

McCarthy says it’s too early to know how much the housing will cost.

Renovare is also behind two developments in Munising, including a remodeling of the old fire hall and the Munising Marketplace.

Copyright 2023 WLUC. All rights reserved.