Bringing Knowledge to Life! / Partner Report /
Iron County
2 South 6th Street
Crystal Falls, Michigan 49920-1400
Phone: 906-875-6642 / E-mail:
Fax: 906-875-6775
Web: msue.msu.edu/iron
May 2010
MSU Extension helps find new uses for old buildings
Iron County MSU Extension director Julie Melchiori has been assisting with the reuse of many buildings in the Iron County area. Among her efforts have been collaborations with community leaders to put an abandoned bank building, two schools and a vacant hotel into renovation for reuse for varied projects.
The retired Commercial Bank of Stambaugh is now home to Global Response North Corporation’s state-of-the-art contact center with about 85 full- and part-time employees. The company’s clients include the state of Michigan, so some incoming calls come from people requesting camping and boating reservations with Michigan parks and harbors.
Wine Country Gift Baskets returns during the holidays for assistance with orders for their beautiful gift baskets. The original committee formed to assist with this project continues to meet supporting growth for jobs to the community.
The historic former Porter School in Alpha has been turned into a multi-tenant marketplace for local retail and restaurant owners. Since May of 2009, six new tenants and a library and resource center have opened on the site. It is one several Alpha Circle buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The library and resource center provides internet connectivity and news service to area residents. With two additional floors to be prepared for retail space, it has become an active hub for the village and a destination for visitors.
The Porter School Farmers’ Market provides residents and visitors with fresh produce and locally made products from June through October. The Circle Café adjoins the properties and serves breakfast and lunch.
Porter School
The Windsor Center, built in 1928 as the Iron River High School, now serves as a community center and small business incubator. The Iron County Joint Public Building Restoration Administrative Board, comprised of representatives from West Iron County Public Schools, City of Iron River, Iron River Township, Bates Township and Stambaugh Township, was formed to address community concerns about abandoned property and the need to maintain the gym and restored Windsor Auditorium.
Continued
Building reuse--continued
The building is now home to West Iron Women’s Workout, E-s Beads & Things, Perceptions photography studio, the Michigan Works certified nurse assistant training center, the Iron County Recreation Association’s indoor bocce courts, Carrie Jacobs Bond Composing Threaders (a quilting store) and the Iron County Economic Development Corporation’s computer lab.
Many of the additional rooms are used by community and non-profit groups for meetings and education sessions as well as available for daily, monthly or annual lease.
Windsor Center
The Windsor auditorium is now scheduled for at least on event each month. A regularly scheduled open mike night gives local musicians and performers the chance to share their talents and gain experience in front of a live crowd.
The newly formed West End Players hold theatrical productions in the auditorium and the Iron River Community Concepts group holds its annual Rum Rebellion Revue. West Iron County Public Schools, which does not have its own auditorium, also uses the site for concerts.
In downtown Crystal Falls, historic Crystal Manor is opening after many years as Crystal View Apartments/Crystal View Place. This mixed use facility will provide 25 newly built one- and two-bedroom affordable housing units and more than 2,000 square feet of retail space for three to four new small businesses.
Collaboration between business owners, and representatives from local, county, state and federal offices to determine feasibility and secure funding sources has proven to create jobs and spur economic development in this Western Upper Peninsula County.
Additional requests have been received for assistance with vacant properties and research on reuse of those buildings is being assisted by Melchiori.
Contact: Julie Melchiori
906-875-9693 or
Third grade bread bakers
After six weeks of nutrition lessons from MSU Extension nutrition program instructor Debra Nowak, third grade students at West Iron County and Forest Park School District rolled a nutrition, mathematics and science lesson together to roll, knead, raise, bake and taste fresh bread.
Throughout the program students learned about the food groups and how their bodies use food each day. They learned how grains are grown and harvested. They learned about germs and the importance of washing their hands and using good food safety practices.
Following is a letter from one of the students:
“Dear Mrs. Nowak
I never knew learning about healthy foods could be so fun. I liked everything that we learned about germs the movies that we learned about them and when everybody touched the bread and the untouched bread and in a few weeks it had mold on it. The best activity I liked the most was making bread.”
Contact: Debra Nowaki
906-875-9693 or
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.