Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Moyle Construction Company began excavation work for Laurium’s new DPW garage began last week, south of the building that was destroyed by fire in February. The site of the old building will become a parking lot for the recreation area’s ballfields.

LAURIUM – Moyle Construction has begun excavating the ground for the new Laurium Village Department of Public Works garage. Village Manager Ian Lewis said the village expects to have a completed and fully operational public works garage by Summer 2026.

The previous DPW facility was destroyed by fire last February. In March, The Village Council unanimously voted to accept an initial proposal from Moyle Construction regarding the construction of a new facility. Lewis said the insurance adjuster’s rate was approximately $1.5 million, which he said, seems incredibly low for a building of that size. The former DPW facility was approximately 99,000 square feet.

Moyle representatives said they were confident the company could assist the village in achieving a higher insurance settlement.

Andrew Kemper, Moyle engineering and project manager, said his company has extensive experience in dealing with insurance casualties such as what Laurium experienced. Kemper told the council his company would represent the village to the insurance company to ensure and equitable payment to obtain the funding necessary to constructing a new facility.

Kemper said Moyle would also provide any engineering estimates, pre-construction services necessary – at no cost to the village — up to the point that “we get an understanding and agreement from the insurance carrier that the village will be equitably funded.

Last March, Kemper said he estimated the process would take about a year for the engineering and construction and estimated approximately three to four months would be required for dealing with the carrier prior to the 12-month engineering and construction phase.

In June, the Village Council unanimously accepted the agreement with Moyle Construction Company for the replacement of the building.

“The tentative time-frame for completion is the end of June of next year,” Lewis said, “so long as everything goes according to plan.”

When completed, the new facility will be modern and, Lewis said, he believes will be steel.

The sandstone building it is replacing was constructed in 1934 as a hangar for the Laurium Airport. The facility was constructed as a Works Project Administration project.

“As this rebuild project continues to move forward,” Lewis said, “it will be exciting to show how a saved piece of Houghton County history gets incorporated into the new public works building.”

The site of the old building will become a parking lot for the ballfields, Lewis said. The new building will be constructed near the old site, but to the south and out of the George Gipp Recreational Area.