ISHPEMING, MI-- The Marquette County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority has been awarded
$205,626 to clean up the former Bell Memorial Hospital site in Ishpeming and develop senior housing.
The money comes from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. It will be used to clean soil and groundwater contaminated by diesel fuel and heating oil that leaked from underground storage tanks. The grant will also be used to install barriers and a ventilation system to prevent exposure to harmful vapors, and to demolish old hospital foundations, parking, curbs and gutters.
Jasperlite Senior Housing, a 36-unit building, will be built on the former hospital site. Officials say the $6 million project will create affordable senior housing within walking distance of downtown Ishpeming shops and services. The building will be LEED-certified, which means it will meet environmental and sustainability standards.
