Nine Façade Grants Awarded in L’Anse; Mystery Hydrant Painter Sought

Nine businesses in the village of L’Anse will get help from the Downtown Development authority to spruce up their buildings.

The DDA had planned to award five grants in this year’s façade program. At last night’s council meeting, village manager Bob LaFave said they increased the number because of the quality of the applications, and because it was felt the downtown needed an extra boost coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nine businesses which will receive matching funds for repair are:
• Sunshine Flower Shop, for the building at 120 East Broad Street, for new siding;
• Align Chiropractic, 12 North Main Street, for new doors and siding;
• Indian Creek Partnership, at 15 South Main Street, for new siding, paint and windows;
• UP North Business Center, at 1 North Main Street, for a new directory sign;
• Skipper’s Bar and Grill, at 9 South Front Street, for a new sign, light fixtures and planters;
• Scotty’s Pub, which has opened in the former VFW building at 105 North Front Street, for new windows;
• Edward Jones, at 9 South Main Street, for new siding;
• Yooper Fitness, at 15 South Main Street, for repairs to siding, windows, doors and light fixtures; and
• Random Things Unlimited, at 18 South Main Street, for new windows and doors.

In other news from last night’s L’Anse council meeting, village crews are continuing to repair washouts from recent heavy rains.

Village property largely escaped damage from the hail storm in the early-morning hours July 19. A couple of windows at Meadowbrook Arena were broken. Significant damage was reported to private property throughout the village, especially to vehicles. Hailstones are large as 2.5 inches fell over a 20-minute period.

Debbie Gerard was reappointed to the L’Anse Housing Commission.

And, council members expressed appreciation for the recent repainting of some of the village fire hydrants – even though they don’t know who’s doing it. Council member Leann Davis asked village staffer Nate Turpeinen…

Turpeinen says he’d like to know…

It’s a mystery, but Turpeinen says whoever it is is doing the job right…

Whoever it is, has the village’s gratitude.