The former waterworks building in Negaunee may serve some greater community use under plans city officials are starting to develop.

The structure, which dates to the 1880s, was responsible for the city’s water supply for over 100 years, a Mining Journal story on the matter noted. It was decommissioned in the 1990s when the city and two other municipalities together joined a water authority.

“Late last year it was determined that the waterworks building is sound for reuse,” Negaunee City Manager Nate Heffron said in the Journal story. “The waterworks building is considered historic by many. We hope that it can be rehabilitated and found to have a new usefulness for the community.”

So do we and join Heffron in noting there are some strings attached to any future use.

“The property in question is encumbered by an agreement signed with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, this happened when the city was awarded a grant for a fishing dock located on the property in 1996,” he said.

Future uses must relate to public recreational. Commercial or private use will not be allowed.

The city has appointed a committee of familiar names to consider what can be done with the structure. Members include Don Mourand, Art Gischia, John Larson, Dave Dompierre, Mike Lempinen and Esko Alasimi.

The panel has until Aug. 31 to fulfill a four-part obligation that includes:

– Using the existing city codes to determine what work will need to be done to bring the building up to code.

– Determining the costs of the work that will be done to bring the building up to code.

– Holding at least two public hearings.

– Presenting written reports to the Negaunee City Council and the Negaunee Parks and Recreation Commission.

As residents learn to fully appreciate the past, finding new uses for old municipal buildings is something that’s becoming more and more common across the country.

We absolutely trust this group of people will find an appropriate path forward for the venerable structure.

We look forward to watching this process unfold.

— The (Marquette) Mining Journal