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By CHRISTIE
MASTRIC
Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — The blight elimination project at the former Marquette General Hospital site involves actions such as dust control and recycling of materials.
These and other details were explained in a Thursday morning public information session on the project at the Northern Center at Northern Michigan University, whose campus is adjacent to the property.
The Northern Michigan University Foundation, partnering with the city of Marquette, selected Adamo Group, based in Detroit, as the general contractor on the project on June 12.
Phase I is underway on the property, which is expected be developed into single- and multi-family residential housing as well as commercial and public uses along College Avenue.
“The vision really is focused on the opportunity to enable productive reuse of this site that benefits the NMU campus, that benefits the surrounding neighborhoods and benefits the Marquette community as a whole,” said Dave Nyberg, executive director of business engagement and economic development with the NMU Foundation.
The current site, Nyberg said, encompasses 17.4 acres. The cost of demolition is estimated at $5 million to $6 million, although he called that figure “a moving target.”
Ryan Whaley, environmental manager for TriMedia Environmental & Engineering Services, LLC, based in Marquette, said the project’s location is a “critical part” of the community, surrounded by residential neighborhoods and a corridor to the NMU campus.
Whaley said the project is divided into three phases.
The first phase, which has started, includes the removal of waste materials, utility termination and above-grade structure demolition, he said.
Phase II, Whaley said, will involve demolition of the Robert C. Neldberg Building and components related to that structure. Asbestos abatement would be part of phases I and II.
Phase III potentially would include demolition or rehabilitation of the parking structure.
“All that culminates in the final grading, topsoil, seeding of the entire site, with the exception of the parking lot just south of Magnetic (Street) prior to potential predevelopment,” Whaley said.
Whaley said Phase I is expected to be completed in January, with the entire project completed later in the year.
Jeff Green, senior project manager with Adamo Demolition Group, explained the off-site haul route for trucking materials from the site to M-28/U.S. 41. The route will lead drivers east on College Avenue, north on Presque Isle Avenue, west on Wright Street, east on U.S. 41 and south on McClellan Avenue.
From there, materials will be taken to recycling facilities or the Marquette County Landfill.
Recycling also is expected to play a major part in the project.
“We do strive as a company, on all of our projects, to recycle as much material as possible, and we will do that on this project as well,” Green said.
The hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the possibility of working on an occasional Saturday, and in compliance with the city noise ordinance.
“There’s no implosions planned for the site,” Green said. “There’ll be no cranes or wrecking balls or anything like that. We’re going to be utilizing large hydraulic excavators fitted with specialized demolition attachments, and in general, it will be a top-down method, wrecking from the top down.”
Special DustBoss machines will be used for dust control, he said, with perimeter air monitoring being conducted now regarding asbestos abatement. There also is a process to determine materials identified on an asbestos survey, and to remove them and ship them off site.
Green said a fence has been put around the Phase I section and has been locked down, and College Avenue has been closed off. On-site cameras will record operations 24/7 for security.
“Visually, we’ll know if anybody tries to enter the site through the fence or a gate or anything like that,” Green said.
Whaley said an effort is being made to save historical pieces from the site, with plaques and artwork, for example, currently being removed.
Nyberg said the Veridea Group LLC, based in Marquette, is the redevelopment partner in the project and is the entity that will go through all the regulatory permitting and community engagement for future development.
Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs said project development will go through a Marquette city Planning Commission process, which she said is “thoroughly vetted.”
“There are strict rules and regulations and guidelines that need to be followed when it goes through a rezoning or planning commission process,” Kovacs said.
Nyberg pointed out that the visioning process for the project included more pedestrian-friendly transitions from the neighborhoods to the NMU campus, with a goal to complement to the campus community with the Third Street business corridor.
People can keep up to date on the project by visiting the NMU Former Hospital Site website at renewcollegeavemqt.org.
Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.
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