Federal Funding Concerns in the City, Two Promising Housing Developments, Restaurants Closing, New Talent at WLUC, Brewery News, and Synergy with Two Women's Boutiques

The Latest from Marquette, MI by Brian Cabell

“THIS IS RATHER uncharted territory, and we recognize the unknown is unsettling.” That’s Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs explaining the predicament the city finds itself in, what with the announced and rumored cuts in federal aid to communities, programs, departments, and institutions all across the nation.

She continues: “We are working closely with our state and federal legislators, professional associations, and community agencies to ensure we are able to continue to provided critical services and programs to the community during this temporary funding pause.”

Yes, the city has received and hopes to continue to receive federal funding for a variety of projects including: the former MGH Demolition Project…Police Department Programs…the Presque Isle Port Dredging Project…the Lead Service Line Testing/Identification Project…Tourist Park Day-Use Road Project…Art and Culture Projects…and the Cleanup Grant for the Cliffs-Dow Site.

Much of that federal money has already been spent, but Kovacs estimates that perhaps $1 million has still not been reimbursed to the city. Could that funding be suddenly cut off? Unknown.

These are anxious times for a city struggling to stay within its budget.

NO SURPRISE HERE—we’re becoming more pessimistic about the American economy…The University of Michigan’s highly regarded consumer sentiment survey reported a drop of 11% in March; that’s the third straight month of decline, and the lowest since the Fall of 2022. Expectations among Democrats dropped 24%, Republicans declined 10%…One possible reason for the increasing pessimism? A dozen eggs at Tadych’s Marketplace Sunday were priced at over $10 for a dozen.

SO FAR, SO GOOD…The first set of new homes proposed by the Veridea Group for the former Marquette General Hospital site cleared its first hurdle Tuesday evening. The Marquette Planning Commission unanimously approved Veridea’s 40-unit development in concept as a Planned Use Development…A PUD is a community of homes or condos that allows a variation from the standard zoning laws in the area.

The 40 proposed units on a 3.5 acre site off of West Magnetic Street would consist of townhouse condominiums, duplexes and triplexes. The tallest would be three stories high.

“It provides the housing that we need here,” Veridea President Bob Mahaney told the Commission, “and we think it’ll be a good transition from the single family homes in the neighborhood.”

Some residents questioned whether the development would unduly increase traffic and create parking problems for the neighborhood. Those issues will be addressed in subsequent public hearings. Mahaney hopes Veridea will get the go-ahead for the development so that construction can begin later this year. What will the units cost? Mahaney says “market-rate.” Other units still in the planning stage for the 17 acre site, he says, will be geared more to middle and lower income folks.

NEW WORKFORCE HOUSING in Marquette Township? Could be.

This evening (Wednesday), the Marquette Township Board will get more details about a promising, proposed workforce housing development in the Township. Five acres, 48 homes of various types, generally small but affordable. Renovare, a downstate developer, is proposing to purchase the property from the Township and spend $14 million on the development.

Sounds great except for this possible snag: Renovare reportedly wants a long term tax break on the property. “Nobody’s going to be happy with a 30-year exemption from taxes,” says Lyn Durant, the Township Supervisor. “We have to pay attention to our taxes. That is our number one priority. We already have thousands of acres of tax-exempt property in the Township.”

So, can a compromise be worked out? Tonight may shed some light on that.

A NEW FACE coming to WLUC…He’s John Redfield who will be replacing Elizabeth Peterson on Upper Michigan Today and the Morning News. Redfield’s originally from Chicago, but he comes to the UP from an anchoring stint at KTVO in Ottumwa, Iowa…“He’s got a great personality and he’s very energetic,” WLUC News Director Andrew LaCombe tells us. “When he visited us, he got along great with the morning crew.”…His visit to Marquette happened to coincide with the blizzard a couple of weeks ago, so Redfield knows what he’s in for…He starts here on April 7th, but you won’t see him on the air for at least a few days, maybe more, while he gets adjusted to his new gig.

NOTHING TO BE alarmed about yet…But Oakland County downstate has reported Michigan’s first confirmed measles case of 2025, according to Bridge Michigan. The patient (not the photo above) is an adult who had just returned from overseas…Generally, Michigan reports two or fewer measles cases a year, but there were spikes in 2018 and 2019…Nationwide, more than 300 cases have been reported so far, most of them under 19 years of age. Two deaths…Not surprisingly, the vaccination rate for measles has been declining in recent years.

AN OLD INSTITUTION closing down. The Villa Capri is shutting its doors Saturday after 58 years…“With mixed emotions, we are announcing our retirement,” the owners revealed in a Facebook post. “We’d like to thank our loyal customers, many friends, and staff who give their all, day in and day out.”…What happens to the building and property next is uncertain…At one point, it was listed for sale at $2.3 million. Attempts to contact the owners were unsuccessful.

A CHANGE ALSO for the Chicago Beefs sandwich cafe whose history is just a bit more brief than the Villa’s…Owner Mike Glenn will be closing up shop in the basement of the Masonic Square Mall at the end of the month. It lasted there for only eight months in a decidedly low-profile location. “But we’ll be moving into a new location on Third Street by this summer,” says the ever optimistic Glenn. The new venue is currently occupied by another, non-restaurant business. Are his announced plans more hope than reality? Stay tuned.

CHANGE, AS WELL, for Barrel and Beam, the craft brewery that produces farmhouse ales and barrel-aged beers…The owners, Nick VanCourt and Maria Dupler, are putting the property and buildings up for sale, but they are keeping and continuing their business…“We’ve renovated half of the building, and we want somebody else to come in, buy the property, and renovate the rest of it,” says VanCourt. Asking price for the two acres and 16,000 square feet of buildings? $2.7 million.

VanCourt and Dupler are hoping that the buyer will come in, relieve their debt burden, and equally important, develop another business or businesses alongside Barrel and Beam—something that would create more activity, more traffic. Among the possibilities are Airbnb’s or some sort of fun center…The brewery, VanCourt insists, is doing fine. It’s just that he’d like more of the business to be concentrated at the brewery, itself, on Northwoods Road in the Township, rather than in distribution throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

GREAT NEWS FOR women shoppers…Blackbird, the little clothing boutique on Third Street, has just moved next door into more spacious quarters just vacated by Graci Art Gallery…The reason for the move was simple—150-200 square feet more space for displays. Blackbird owner Brett Stiles must be doing something right (finding attractive clothes that women like at reasonable prices) because she’s been here for eight years…“It’s always been tempting to get bigger, but I started small and I’ve stayed small,” says Stiles. “I try to focus on sustainable materials, quality fabrics, and ethical garment-sourcing. And I make some of the jewelry I sell. I think our customers appreciate all that.”

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! Cove, the women’s boutique that’s been tucked into a teensy-weensy space off of Third Street just behind the Zero Degrees Artist Gallery, will now be moving into Blackbird’s former space. The two women’s boutiques will become next door neighbors. Great synergy…“We’re excited to be next door to them,” says Cove owner Jordan Mattarella. “I think we’ll complement each other. We share the same standards of quality.” Mattarella’s store, now two years old, features clothes with top quality, long-lasting fibers, and jewelry and accessories, all made by women-owned businesses.

Mattarella is hoping to open at her new location within about three weeks. The two stores are planning a joint Grand Opening, likely in May or June.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart.”
--Thomas J. Watson, Chairman and CEO of IBM