Construction Continues at Belle Tower

Construction and restoration work continues at Belle Tower of Petoskey, and we’re excited to share several important updates as we move into the next phase of the project.

One of the biggest recent milestones is now complete: Belle Tower has a brand-new roof.

The project included a full roof replacement, along with new flashing and repairs to areas of damaged wood. Protecting the building from the top down was one of the most critical restoration priorities, and completing the roof gives us a much stronger foundation for everything that comes next.

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Behind the scenes, we have also been working through the permitting and design process required to move Belle Tower toward legal occupancy and expanded community use. Our architects have finalized the construction drawings, and our change-of-use application has now been submitted to both the City of Petoskey and Emmet County.

Next Up: Accessibility and Plumbing Improvements

The next major phase of construction focuses on making the building more functional and accessible.

Plans include:

• A new restroom on the main level

• An ADA-accessible entrance at the rear of the building

• Plumbing repairs and infrastructure improvements needed to support the building’s future use

On September 8, excavators and plumbers are scheduled to be on site as part of the bathroom and plumbing improvement process.

These projects are an important step toward reopening Belle Tower for events, programs, creative studios, partnerships, and community gatherings.

Restoring a historic building is rarely one single construction project. It is a series of interconnected improvements — roofing, plumbing, accessibility, structural repairs, permitting, inspections, and plenty of problem-solving along the way.

We are making steady progress, one phase at a time.

Help Support the Next Phase

Our Belle Tower shirts are still available through our website, and proceeds from shirt sales help support the current phase of restoration.

Buying a shirt is an easy way to contribute directly to the project while helping spread the word about Belle Tower and its future.

We are also planning potential community work bee days in September for projects where a few extra hands can make a big difference. Dates and details will be announced soon.

Thank You for Being Part of This

Every repair and improvement brings us closer to reopening Belle Tower and putting this historic building back into active community use.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated, volunteered, purchased merchandise, shared our story, contributed professional expertise, or simply continued cheering the project on.

There is still work ahead, but the completion of the new roof, submission of our change-of-use application, finalized architectural plans, and upcoming accessibility and plumbing work represent significant progress.

Construction continues — and so does the work of bringing Belle Tower back to life.

Stay tuned for more construction updates, September work bee opportunities, and behind-the-scenes progress from Belle Tower of Petoskey.