Traverse City commissioners will consider a request Monday from Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) to purchase city-owned property next to the city's water treatment plant off Eastern Avenue to use for the construction of student housing. In a letter to city commissioners this week, NMC President Tim Nelson said the college's student apartments and East Hall dormitories are at capacity, and an additional 24 units leased for housing on Munson Avenue this school year "filled within 10 days" of becoming available.

"It has become apparent that housing options within the city limits are at capacity with the college and other local institutions developing initiatives to attract people to the area," Nelson wrote. He said the NMC Board of Trustees considered two sites for the construction of new apartments: the college's existing apartment site, or the property off Eastern Avenue. "The site off Eastern Avenue is preferred, because it gives us the ability to retain the current apartments during construction of new apartments," said Nelson. He added that the option would also "preserve the current apartments' site for future construction of academic buildings if needed."

City Manager Jered Ottenwess told commissioners in a memo Friday that while the city is in the process of developing "a more standardized method...to handle this type of request (and disposition of city-owned property more generally)," NMC officials have indicated they need to establish if the city is willing to entertain a purchase offer or else move ahead with pursuing other housing options. "If the city commission supports considering the proposal, staff can begin working with NMC officials on due diligence steps," wrote Ottenwess, "including an appraisal and rezoning process."