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Pier project to go at full scale

HOUGHTON — Houghton’s pier project will move ahead without needing to be scaled down.

At a special meeting Wednesday, the City Council approved additional matching funds of $408,550 to go with the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s extra $1,225,650 of grant money. That brings the total project cost close to $5 million.

“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity for us,” said Mayor Bob Backon. “They’re increasing that amount and letting us match that at 25%, I don’t see how we can go wrong.”

The amount is based on the difference between the already authorized funds and the low bid. Skyrocketing steel prices during the pandemic resulted in bids for the piling on the pier coming in at twice the expected budget.

The original bidder is still within the 90-day window in which it has to hold its price, Waara said.

Features of the Mattila Square project include creating a new pier, rerouting the waterfront trail around the north side of the Portage Lake District Library, and improving parking.

Nearly half of the city’s expanded match will come from an extra $200,000 in the bonded amount. There was still room below the city’s authorized capacity, and interest rates remain low, Waara said in a memo to the council.

Another $110,000 will come from the general fund — about as much additional income as the city received from the state this year, Waara said.

The parking fund will contribute $30,000 for parking improvements, while the sewer fund will contribute $68,550 for a sewer interceptor replacement scope.

Houghton has been on the leading edge of being able to seize those kinds of opportunities, Waara said.

“The state has surely shown their faith in this project and the vision for this project,” he said. “That’s why they funded it in the first place. Ultimately, they want to see this move forward.”

Waara said work is tentatively scheduled to be completed early next summer.

“They plan to keep working as late as they can, but we’re going to run out of weather sooner or later, so we’re going to have to finish tidying things up in the spring,” he said.

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