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This is an artist’s rendering of the planned Presque Isle Apartments, which will be located on the Temaki/Smoothie King site and the parking lot across from it on Presque Isle Avenue. This $55 million project will see construction on two residence halls begin this fall and be completed in time for the fall 2027 semester. Together, the buildings will house approximately 400 students and faculty as well. (Photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University)

MARQUETTE — Next fall, Northern Michigan University will begin a $55 million construction project to construct two student and faculty residential buildings on Presque Isle Avenue.

The two buildings are located on university property on opposite sides of Presque Isle Avenue, one between Fair Avenue and the Subway restaurant on the east, and the other from Cohodas Hall to Waldo Street on the west.

“The positive gains we have made in enrollment in recent years have increased demand for housing on campus and in the community.” said Gavin Leach, Vice President of Finance and Administration. “It has escalated to the point that we need to pursue an option to address the issue as part of our strategic goals to enhance the student experience, reduce barriers to success and promote well-being. It is ideal if students do not have to struggle to find available and affordable housing options when they arrive at Marquette.”

This past fall semester, NMU saw a significant addition to its student body, with many upperclassmen remaining on campus, prompting NMU to increase capacity in its dormitories.

“Last fall, we had 2,741 students living on campus, and our capacity is 2,648.” said Marketing Director Derek Hall. “So we had 90 students over capacity and we accommodated that by tripling the number of students in their appropriate rooms. It’s hard to do.”

The students received a discount on rooms, in addition to dividing the cost of the rooms in three ways instead of two or only one person paying for them.

“Some people really liked it, others were hesitant.” Hall said. “The market locally is in a slump. The Airbnbs and other things that the housing market in Marquette offers us, squeeze our older students, so we accommodate them by letting them stay on campus but then younger students come in as well. It’s a huge puzzle.”

This new apartment complex will add an additional 384 beds, with rooms ranging from studio, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments. It will be financed from the proceeds of leasing the apartments and managed similar to the halls of The Woods Residence.

“It’s a project we’ve been looking at for a while and we got to the point where we needed to sign an agreement with our partner, and we got the same partner that we had with Woods Residence Hall…it’s been a good partnership.”

University officials are seeking to attract student athletes, as the two residential buildings are very close to athletic facilities.

“We want to offer some of this to the faculty as well.” Hall said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall and be completed before the fall semester in 2027.

Although two NMU dining services operations will be affected by the project. The Smoothie King location has closed with the expiration of its contract, and will not be restored.

Temaki will be closed for the NMU holiday and reopen for the following semester, but will return to its original location at Hedgcock in summer 2025.

“We’ll finish the library at the end of the year, we’ll finish the science labs, and before we’re done, we’ll start building the works and these buildings before those other buildings are finished.” Hall said.

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.