Big plans moving forward for former Mill Market in the Sault

Big plans for former Mill Market in the Sault Sitting vacant since the creation of the Downtown Plaza, the buyer of Sault Ste. Marie’s former Mill Market has big plans for the site.

Sitting vacant since the creation of the Downtown Plaza, the buyer of Sault Ste. Marie’s former Mill Market has big plans for the site.

The group responsible for redeveloping the canal district is expanding its footprint on the west end of the Sault’s waterfront.

The former Mill Market will be transformed into a maker’s market once again.

Officially purchased in late June, SIS Group has big plans for the building, including adding a second floor and an upstairs eatery.

Officials said the opportunity to refurbish the space and add to the Sault’s waterfront was too good to pass up.

“It's tough to go to a restaurant and then, you know, it's where do you go next?" said Tony Porco of SIS Group.

"Even a walk is sometimes good. Just walk around. You got the HUB Trail, you got the water.”

The new owners said the revitalized land will add to the tourist draw in the area. SIS Group owns the canal district next door, known for attracting people to the area.

“With our community events like Bon Soo and our ARCH events like Illuminate the Season that's coming up in November, Rotary Fest, the car show," said SIS Group's Melissa Porco.

"We'll have space to be able to use both areas and the community supports us already in those events. It'll be great to have more to offer to them."

The area’s industrial past has discouraged developers for years, with environmental red tape limiting the type of development that can be done on-site.

Environmental remediation

Now, Tony Porco said environmental remediation has been done and monitoring will be ongoing.

“I think we're safe with the environmental and everybody here is safe," he said.

"And that was the first concern, right? Because all you heard for the last, I don't know, 50 years was it's contaminated. So once we did our tests, it wasn't as bad as everybody thought ... That was great to feel and see.”

“The whole Gateway site from Canal to Street Mary's River Drive, it's been 40 years of trying on it," said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker.

"We're kind of on the cusp of seeing the first real redevelopment of this site that we've seen in almost two generations.”

SIS Group officials said the former Mill Market is completely gutted inside and it will take three years to fully realize their vision.

The project will be done in phases, however, with the market and eatery first on the list to complete – although they don't have an exact timeline for when it will open.