New Marquette Twp. development in the works

Marquette Township has experienced a great deal of commercial development in the last few years.  Now there is a proposal for a great deal more.

The Ownership Planning Commission recently approved the preliminary site plans for a 70 acre development.

The development, which is owned by Chicago–area based Up The Sky LLC, would feature a number of new businesses and residential areas.

“First phase would be a mixed downtown type of a structure that would be multi story facilities surrounding a public center, arcade area if you will,” Marquette Township Manager Randy Girard said. “The second phase would be a little bit west of that, and that would be basically focused upon housing, from single family up through townhouse.  And the final phase would be the furthest to the west and that would basically be probably three years from now.  And that would be development of some kind of a destination accommodation, a hotel.”

The new development would keep with the township’s theme of moving their downtown district off the highway and further north of U.S. 41.

“This particular development would be in the area just northwest of Target, and would stretch basically to behind GFS (Gordon Food Service) and Smith Paving, not quite all the way to Lowes, ” added Girard. “Three phases basically, we’re anticipating the beginning in spring of 2014.

The plan is now in a 30 day review period in which comments and concerns will be brought before the developer.

After the review phase, the project would need to be approved by the township planning commission and township board before permits could be issued.