The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently agreed to provide over $400,000 in state funds for improvements at the Suttons Bay Marina, including a new marina bathhouse with yearround public restrooms.
Village staff initially planned to demolish the old marina bathhouse and build the new structure at the same location. However, at their regular meeting Tuesday, the Suttons Bay Village Council agreed to relocate the new facilities to the other side of Adams Street due to scheduling concerns.
“We were going to have to tear down the current bathrooms, get in there, and get it closed up before winter hit, and try to finish it and not lose too much time in the spring when all the boaters came back. It was a longshot,” Village Manager Rob Larrea said, laughing. “We started looking at the northern side of the marina entrance, where the new marina park sign is, and that actually resolves a lot of our concerns.”
Larrea said that leaving the old bathrooms intact while working on the new building across the street will allow the marina to continue providing uninterrupted services to its users during construction.
Replacing the bathhouse was one of the highest priorities identified in the marina master plan. The bathhouse was constructed in 1978 and is in poor condition. It’s also only open to marina users, whereas the new building while have public restrooms open to everyone.
After the village council reached a consensus to relocate the new building, they voted unanimously to accept a proposal from the engineering and architecture firm Abonmarche to complete design plans, bid out the project, and administer construction. The total fees for these services were $148,000.
Abonmarche previously worked with the village on the marina’s updated master plan, which was approved by the village council back in March.
The DNR is providing a 50% match for the new bathhouse and public restrooms through its Waterways Program. The other half of the funds will come from the village’s marina fund and downtown development authority, for a project total of $812,032.
The DNR is also providing over $450,000 for a new dock on the west end of the village marina and an upland walkway. This is another Waterways Program grant where the village is providing a 50% match for an estimated $907,564 total.
