MARQUETTE — Once a home to orphaned children, the Holy Family Orphanage has stood empty since 1982. The historic building has decayed over the years. windows are boarded up and trees grow from the roof.

Now there are plans to turn it into an affordable-rent apartment complex called “Grand View Marquette.”

“There’s a lot of people who have service jobs, or decent jobs, but they can’t afford to live in Marquette,” architect Barry Polzin said. “This brings 65 units right here, close to downtown.”

The project will cost up to 15 million dollars. The Alger-Marquette Community Action Board and its partners raised the bulk of that money in low income housing tax credits. They’re waiting to hear if they will also receive historic tax credits.

“Grand View Marquette is really the culmination of many many different efforts to redevelop this property,” AMCAB Executive Director Amy Lerlie said.

Because of these credits, AMCAB won’t owe a huge mortgage on the property. They can then charge affordable ratesabout $400-600 a monthto tenants.

“We feel that this project is really inclusive and will enhance the living community in the downtown area,” Lerlie said.

The exterior will be restored to what it originally looked like, while the units themselves will be modernized. The chapel on the north side of the property will become a public space for events. The building is structurally sound, but still needs a lot of work; among other problems, water damage has left holes in the roof the size of a car.

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