gneese@mininggazette.com
HOUGHTON The Houghton City Council heard an update Wednesday on a $3.5 million project for renovations at Mattila Square in downtown Houghton, including a pier capable of handling cruise ships.
Houghton had initially pitched the project in 2017, and received an offer of funding from Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) in 2019. However, that was recalled in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MEDC approached the city with a new funding opportunity last fall.
“We had a public hearing previously with the other funding source,” City Manager Eric Waara said. “But given that this is a different funding source, it has to have its own hearing.”