Marquette City Council Votes to Apply for $8 Million Grant, NMU Foundation Invites Bids for Old Hospital Demolition.

MARQUETTE, MI – The old Marquette hospital has been sitting vacant after the new hospital opened officially in 2019. There had been a debate over what should be done with the building before the NMU foundation bought the property for $1.

While the foundation has several plans regarding the site only one thing is for certain at this moment. The old hospital, containing lead and asbestos, will be demolished. The demolition is estimated to cost upwards of 20 million dollars because of the need to properly and safely remove hazardous materials, and conduct environmental remediation.

On Monday the Marquette city commission voted unanimously to apply for an 8 million dollar community development block grant that would greatly offset the cost of the demolition.

“Redevelopment is very expensive, time consuming, and difficult.” Said Commissioner Evan Bonsall. “We’re very fortunate to have this opportunity. I also hope that it will help deal with some of the budgetary issues the city is facing, and housing issues that we’re facing.”

The NMU foundation has also issued an invitation to bid for the contract to demolish the old hospital site. Bids are due by Friday, January 20th at 5 p.m.