Medical Center Makes Push for Hospital Site

The site selector for the new $290 million hospital may have left town but the courting continues.

The Upper Peninsula Medical Center is among the most prominent and ardent courters.

The Medical Center, which is owned by about 40 members (mostly physicians) and provides offices for more than 100 physicians, has come up with four different site plans for Duke LifePoint. Three of them would keep most of the current buildings on the site but provide space for an eight story, 600,000 square foot hospital. One of the plans would simply allow the razing of the property so that Duke LifePoint could build a brand new complex.

Duke LifePoint and Hugh Miller, the executive director of the Med Center, have been in regular contact with each other for the last few months. Another consultation is expected next week.

The Med Center badly wants the new hospital to locate on its grounds or at the very least, nearby. If the new hospital were to re-locate, say, in Marquette Township, a substantial number of the doctors would likely leave the Med Center. That would devalue the Med Center and probably open it up to other types of offices outside the medical profession.

And what about Duke LifePoint's reported interest in Marquette Golf Club?
Well, the site selector recently visited the golf course, consulted with golf course officials, gazed at the snow and trees and said he would be back in touch within 30 days. Who's courting whom here? Good question.

Marquette Township, the other player in this competition, has attractive sites available just off US-41, near Lowes and the Westwood Mall. The Township, which has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years, would love to lure the hospital away from the city...and has the land and enthusiasm to do it.

It may simply come down to dollars. Who will offer the better deal in terms of acquisition costs, taxes and tax abatements?

Regarding the recent presentation by site selector Dana Young at the meeting of the Lake Superior Community Partnership: Most of the civic and business leaders left that presentation believing that Young had told them there were only two specific sites left in the running for the hospital.

Wrong. What he actually meant, and what he clarified after the presentation, was that two municipalities, Marquette and the Township, were still in the running. Big difference. Big miscommunication, especially when you're dealing with a fierce competition for $290 million.

One final note. After all the sites are visited, all the numbers are crunched and the courtship process plays itself out, there are still some--Marquette City Manager Bill Vajda, among them--who believe that Duke LifePoint might say, what the hell, let's stay put and rebuild at the current site.

Stranger things have happened.

Hospital Machinations, Frozen Marina, and Frosty Treats

Interesting developments on the hospital relocation front.

Last week, Dana Young, an official out of Nashville identified as Duke LifePoint's site selector, told the Lake Superior Community Partnership that the site survey team had narrowed the search for a new MGH location down to two sites--one in the city of Marquette, one in Marquette Township.

Three smart, well-connected civic leaders who were at the meeting said the message was unambiguous, unmistakable. And they were surprised that the official was so candid about the process especially since MGH has been so hush-hush about it.

But clearly MGH is not calling the shots here; its the folks in Nashville, the home of Duke LifePoint, who are making the important decisions.

Talk to Marquette City Manager Bill Vajda, though, and he'll tell you he hasn't been informed that it's down to two locations. He doesn't believe it.

And check with Jason McCarthy, the planner and zoning administrator for the Township, and you'll hear the same thing. He doesn't buy it.

So was Young mistaken in his presentation to the Partnership? Seems unlikely. He's doing the work on the ground here.

Was he lying? That's not a good way to endear yourself to some of the shakers and movers in the community.

Maybe it's gamesmanship. Was he deliberately trying to set up a desperate, give-em-whatever-they-want competition between the city and township? Cynics might think so.

Was he speaking without authority? It's possible.

Or was he simply telling the truth as he saw it last week? Also, possible. In fact, likely.

 

Regardless, it's a big deal. A $290 million big deal with huge ramifications regardless of where the hospital ultimately locates.

Speaking of which, the Marquette Golf Club board meets Wednesday. On the agenda: the visit to the golf course last week by the hospital site survey team. Does Duke LifePoint want to buy part of the golf course? Is the golf club, which is saddled with debt, interested? Would the members vote to sell?

Stay tuned. Things get interestinger and interestinger.
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Who wants to be a City Commissioner in Marquette?

Mayor Bob Niemi, Fred Stonehouse and Don Ryan are all leaving at the end of the year which means three spots will open up.

But so far only one candidate, Mike Conley, has taken out a packet to file for candidacy.

At least a couple of marijuana-decriminalization candidates have previously expressed interest in running; so far nothing from them.

A group hoping to elect a young, progressive slate of candidates hasn't made a move yet, either.

There's plenty of time to file, though. The deadline is April 22, and all you need to get on the ballot is 25 signatures.
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Activity at Upfront had locals excited last week. The lights were on at the shuttered former restaurant, nightspot and banquet hall, leading some to believe that maybe it was re-opening. Or it had been sold. Or....

Or nothing.

Turns out there was concern about frozen pipes and the fire suppression system at the club. Workers were there to take care of it.

Damn.

A spokesperson for Upfront still insists, however, that something may be in the works. We'll believe it when we see it.
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Speaking of frozen, go out and take a look at the administrative building at the Cinder Pond Marina in the Lower Harbor.

See that large, horizontal crack on the right side of the photograph? That's new. It apparently happened last week during a cold spell. And there are other smaller cracks, as well.

The Parks and Recreation Department has moved equipment and files out of the building, condemned it temporarily and is now waiting for a structural engineer to show up and take a look.

How serious is the problem? They don't know yet. But from the outside it doesn't look good.
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Okay, so it's 25 degrees and the snow's coming down an inch an hour. That means it must be time for Frosty Treats on Third Street to make its seasonal opening.

Right you are.

After all, spring's right around the corner. Monday's opening was actually a week later than usual, but you can hardly blame the owners for the delay. This has been a cold winter; they had to wait for things to warm up a bit.                                             
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That empty space at Peter White Public Library where Tu Kaluthia used to serve delicious food and drinks is still up for grabs.

Other businesses in town have made inquiries about it but the library hasn't been able to reach an agreement with them yet.

The library would like whoever operates the café to keep it open 40 hours a week. That's been a sticking point.

That, and the fact that the café operator isn't going to get rich in the location.

The library is still eagerly looking for an entrepreneur. So are library patrons.

You got news? Email me at briancabell@gmail.com