Building, office space donated to Ishpeming

ISHPEMING — The rebuilding of Ishpeming is underway with some new and exciting developments.

Property gifts and office space has city officials excited about constructing plans for a greater Ishpeming.  The city has a new roundabout coming, and the city is working hard sprucing up the downtown and outlying areas.  And now, the city has recently been given two buildings and access to office space.

John Jilbert recently donated a building on Canda St. to the city.  The building is directly across from the Mather Inn, leading way to some grand ideas.

“It’s going to make it a showplace,” Ishpeming mayor Mike Tall said.  “The town is changing for the better, when we get our downtown developed, the great plan, it’s going to be something to see.”

Bell Hospital gave Great Lakes Recovery Centers a building downtown.  GLRC is using the space, but not all of it, so the organization has offered up the unused offices and the surrounding area to the city.

“That’s a real nice piece of property right on the edge of town, we’ve talked about a playground, a parking lot, possibly a commons like in Marquette,” Tall said.

The high school has also expressed interest in the building, as it could use the space for additional parking to accommodate after school and weekend sports activities.

The Ishpeming City Council is also looking into moving the Tiff boundaries inward.  The realignment would encompass more of the downtown area, making more money available for developmental use.