City Council to decide future of senior housing project

ISHPEMING — A special city council meeting will determine the fate of a proposed senior housing development in Ishpeming.

Community Action-Alger Marquette wants to apply for $6 million with of tax credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Those funds would be used to create the Jasperlite Senior Housing Development Project.

Thirty-six apartments and a community center would be built where the former Bell Hospital used to be, right next to Ishpeming High School. If the city council does not approve the Payment in Lieu of Taxes for the application tomorrow night, the project will not happen.

“The City of Ishpeming in their due diligence has been investigating, exploring and researching the Payment in Lieu of Taxes that is necessary for the project to move forward,” said Amy Lerlie, executive director of CAAM. “We feel that they’ve done a really good job of researching and studying the issue, listening to constituents and taking into consideration all the precedents for the PILOT that exists in the city,” she added.

The special city council meeting takes place Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at city hall. Last month, Lerlie made a presentation to the council about the affordable housing proposal.

The tax credit from MSHDA, which is a competitive application process, would cover the cost of the project.