ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A new building project is in development in Downtown Escanaba.
Northshore Flats will be built at the site of the former Delta County Chamber of Commerce on Ludington Street, up to the property line of the Municipal Park.
Swanee Inc. plans to construct two condominium buildings along Little Bay de Noc. One will face the lake, and the other will face Stonington. Each unit will have a waterside balcony, 10-foot ceilings, and underground parking.
According to Swanee Inc. President Matthew Sviland, the old Chamber of Commerce building will be replaced by a mixed-use facility.
“We have somebody interested in putting in a market and somebody interested in putting in a cafe in the lower level,” Sviland said. “That’s all tentative.”
The upper level of the mixed-use building will be designated for market-rate apartments.
Sviland says he is looking forward to bringing something new to the city while repurposing the unused property.
“There’s such a pent-up demand for something to happen here in Escanaba that the response has been pretty overwhelming for both the apartments and the condominiums,” he said. “The City of Escanaba will reap the benefits of increased property taxes, which are desperately needed here for our roads and our parks.”
Sviland says with the condos along the lake, much of the greenspace will remain. The sidewalk along the property will be widened to six feet and bump-ins will be added, allowing for pedestrian and bike traffic to pass through it.
The estimated cost of the condominium project is $14 – $15 million, with the mixed-use building costing upward of $14 million. The project is being privately funded.
Swanee Inc. plans to break ground on the first condos in the spring, with hopes of finishing that first building in 2025. The multi-use building will likely be built in 2027 or 2028. Sviland hopes to have tenant pricing in place this fall.
Swanee Inc. is now forming a priority list. To inquire about the Northshore Flats project, email swaneeinc@gmail.com.
