Looking to fill vacancies
NEW MANAGEMENT AT the Old City Hall in Marquette.
The Highbridge Group, with Lois O’Dovero as owner and her son Jim O’Dovero as general manager, have taken over after a realignment within the O’Dovero family. Highbridge now owns about ten buildings in the city and the Township.
“We’re looking to be a service-oriented group,” says Jim O’Dovero. “We want to serve our tenants well.”
The City Hall, of course, is a gem. It dates back to 1895 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also considered a Michigan State Historic Site. The city used it until 1975 when it was converted to a private office building.
But despite the historical status and the building’s location in the heart of downtown, it’s faced challenges. Jim O’Dovero says about half of the suites and offices are vacant. A top priority for the new group, needless to say, is to get those offices fillled. O’Dovero says, come on down.
The old Dome tournament has been revived
LATE WINTER AND early spring is generally the slow season for Marquette. Not many visitors.
This may help–the NMU Wildcat Youth Classic is coming to the Dome next weekend for a multi-state soccer tournament. At least 21 boys teams from the UP, downstate Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota are coming to town March 13th, 14th and 15th.
These are the older boys, 13 and up. No older girls’ teams this year, hopefully next year. And then next month, April 3rd, 4th, and 5th, the younger boys and girls will arrive for their tournament.
David Poggi, the NMU men’s soccer coach, has been organizing the tourney with the help of Marquette United (the youth soccer league) and the NMU Athletic Department.
“We’ve had to cobble it together without a budget, but we’re getting it done,” says Poggi. “The parents are excited about it, the kids are excited, and it’s something that’s good for the community.”
This is actually a revival of the old Dome tournament that was discontinued a few years back because NMU couldn’t find time for it at the Dome.
It’s good for business. Nearly 40 out-of-town teams–at least 400 players and their families–coming to Marquette for two weekends, filling the hotels and restaurants…at a time when winter is winding down, and summer is still (sigh) a couple of months away.
The Polar Roll gets a rave review
SPEAKING OF TOURISM, one of the best and most flattering stories about Marquette just came out.
It’s from the Matador Network, a popular digital publication that focuses on travel, adventure, food and nightlife. It skews young.
The article? “This winter bike race showcases the warm culture of icy cold Marquette, Michigan”
It focuses on the Polar Roll, the fat bike race that was run a couple of weeks back.
Quoting: “…Yoopers not only revel in their rare and robust forms of snowy adventure, but are also perhaps the friendliest Americans you’ll ever meet…”
High praise, as well, for the “adorable” downtown, the trails, the camaraderie, and the absence of the kick-ass, get-outta-my-way competitiveness that the author had experienced in other races in 0ther parts of the country.
She assures us she’ll be back.