MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – The NMU foundation has selected a general contractor for the demolition that will facilitate the development of the former U.P. Health System hospital site.
The selected contractor, Detroit-based demolition company Adamo Group, was the lowest of the seven other bidders. David Nyberg,NMU, business engagement and economic development Executive Director, indicated that Adamo has advised of plans to hire local employees for the project. Further, Nyberg stated that a majority of the first stage of work will focus on activities such as material removal. Once this has concluded, the demolition project will be divided into two phases.
“Phase one is pretty much [demolishing] all of the buildings on the former hospital site that are south of College Avenue, with the exception of the blood bank building,” said Nyberg. “Phase two of [demolishing] the sight, the Neldberg Building and Blood Bank Building, and those two buildings are currently occupied under a lease agreement that the U.P. Health System has with the NMU foundation.”
Nyberg further stated that the Adamo Group plans to repurpose and recycle up to 95% of the material from the demolition. Nyberg also said the city will soon be closing one of the roads in preparation for the demolition project.
“The city of Marquette has plans to close College Avenue here in the near term and the city’s public works department will be putting out a public service announcement about those details very shortly,” said Nyberg.
Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs stated that the $166 million project is going to help reinvent the city’s Skyline.
“Instead of a giant building that you see right there in the middle of the neighborhood, you’re really going to start seeing some of that redevelopment after the fact,” said Kovacs. “It’s really going to be a significant change and bringing in a lot of things that we need in that such as that neighborhood.”
Kovacs also said the old hospital will be turned into much-needed housing, commercial space, green space and pedestrian corridors.
–with files from upsource.com
