ESCANABA I recently had an opportunity to spend the day with the Delta Force Leadership group for Economic Development Day and came away from the session fe
EDITOR:
There was a very insightful Letter to the Editor recently from Mr. Alex Wellman which concluded that “It’s time for the Upper Peninsula to actively promote itself as a great place to live, work and raise a family among the growing number of people who suddenly have more freedom to choose where they spend their time.”
As the Gladstone DDA /EDC Coordinator, I totally agree with Mr. Wellman’s conclusions. Over the past several years attending numerous Economic Development Meetings (now almost totally virtual), a consensus developed that we need to attract talent who would love to work in the Upper Peninsula. One of the identified problem areas was a lack of housing to attract a talented and mobile workforce.
Artist rendering of developing Gladstoneâs North Shore development
GLADSTONE Developers are still being sought for the North Shore Development Project along the Lake Michigan shoreline on Little Bay de Noc. The Gladstone Downtown Development Authority (DDA), Gladstone City Commission and Gladstone Planning Commission are very supportive of the project.
The 34-acre site provides opportunities for new-build housing options within walking distance to downtown Gladstone. The development is intended to benefit city’s community and economy while maintaining a large amount of naturalized shoreline. Toward this goal, the city worked with MSU’s School of Planning, Design, and Construction along with MSU Extension to engage in Michigan State University’s Sustainable Built Environment Initiative (SBEI). The SBEI’s final report incorporated community feedback and included final design visuals. The report also made recommendations to maintain a theme of sustainability. Details o
GLADSTONE The Gladstone Downtown Development Authority discussed adding electric charging stations downtown.
Two options were discussed, a five-hour charging station priced at $30,000 each, and a one-hour charging station at the cost of $90,000 each. A state grant for the charging stations would award up to $13,000.
While the DDA agreed the five-hour stations work well for larger hotels, the one-hour stations would be more desirable to those looking to charge their vehicles while traveling through town and stopping for lunch. DDA board member Linda Howlett suggested that the extra spend would be worth it for the one-hour stations, so the town doesn’t have something that will become quickly obsolete because travelers will not want to stop for five hours to charge.