Since the 1990s, Hancock has sought ways to encourage waterfront development. Most projects in the area have built housing for the community, including condominiums. On Wednesday, the city council received a report from Navy Street Facilitator Glenn Anderson, hired in December 2025 to explore alternative options for providing access to parcels ready for development on Navy Street.
The city added members of the city council, Downtown Development Authority and Planning Commission to a Navy Street Committee in January 2026. The committee met six times over the past nine months, walking through the area to assess the hill and nearby railroad grade. Anderson recommended the city provide alternative road options to the Portage Lake Condominium Association for assessment. A presentation from Anderson on Wednesday overviewed the Navy Street history of easements, projects completed, and recent work to restart the conversation in the past five years.
Hancock’s Development Guide, created during the city’s process to become a Redevelopment Ready Community, outlines how Hancock seeks development. The guide helps developers understand the city’s approval procedures for projects supporting housing or economic growth. Developers first share project plans with the Department of Public Works director, city manager and zoning administrator. If a project meets Hancock’s development guidelines, the city requires the developer to present those plans to the planning commission before the project moves to city council consideration.
Two parcels west of the Portage Lake Condominium Association, separately owned by Andrew Lahti and Taylor Augustone, on Navy Street could add additional housing options to Hancock. Lahti presented a $6.75 million project that could construct 15 new units to the Navy Street Committee during a previous meeting. Augustone’s plans were presented to the city manager, Department of Public Works director and zoning administrator for consideration this summer, in line with the Hancock Developer’s Guide. However, the project was not brought to a planning commission meeting because it lacked a site access plan.
Hancock’s biggest hurdle to developing the area west of the Portage Lake Condominium Association involves limited space on Navy Street to access adjacent parcels. The city has encouraged developers to include building a one-way road within development plans to avoid constructing infrastructure to nowhere. A developer would front the street project and receive repayment through the Tax Increment Financing program or property taxes collected on new units. If a project does expand Navy Street behind the PLCA, it would connect the two sections of the road, allowing access from Forest Street to the Houghton County Road Commission office east of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.
Portage Lake Condominium residents have expressed concerns about potential Navy Street development. At past meetings, residents noted that cutting into the railroad grade to expand the road’s width could compromise the hill’s stability. Snow removal presents another concern. The area already faces winter challenges, and some residents question whether widening the road would provide enough space to maneuver a dump truck and snow blower.
Portage Lake Condominium Association President Glenn Bugni also expressed doubt that additional housing units would generate a large enough tax base to justify paying a developer for road infrastructure.
The city council may take action on Anderson’s recommendations as early as September. The Portage Lake Condominium Association will then consider the alternative road options before providing its collective input to Hancock.
