New, sturdier, reliable communication tower to be erected on Emmet Street
Grand Haven’s city officials are pushing ahead with plans to replace the old communication tower on Emmet Street.
GRAND HAVEN — Grand Haven’s city officials are pushing ahead with plans to replace the old communication tower on Emmet Street.
They’re aiming to give the neighborhood a facelift and, at the same time, boost public safety infrastructure.
Right now, the city is wrapping up the last bits of planning for the foundation and construction, just as winter rolls in.
Planning comes to fruition
The Emmet Street Communication Tower Replacement kicked off in 2025 to bring the city’s main communications site on Five Mile Hill up to speed. The old tower just couldn’t handle the weight or the tech demands of today’s emergency and cell gear anymore, officials have stated.
They wrapped up the replacement in fall 2025. Midway Electronics out of Rensselaer, Indiana, was awarded the job in October for $354,060. That figure covers the main bid and a five percent cushion in case the old foundation gave them trouble during removal, according to city officials.
Prein & Newhof handled the engineering side.
City officials have stated in previous meetings that the need for the upgrade was to provide a stronger, sturdier tower that would withstand Lake Michigan winds, better serve police, fire and Emergency Medical Services with a high antenna for dispatch and, lastly, the tower would carry the city’s water and sewer telemetry equipment.
That equipment allows the city to monitor and control critical infrastructure with sensors so a person doesn’t have to check it manually every day.
Progress underway
In a recent news release, city officials said the new foundation will be poured sometime between January and March, depending on the weather. About a month after that, they’ll raise the new tower.
The old tower will be brought down sometime before April.
The Five Mile Hill project was part of a larger vision for the city, which has gained some attention.
The city was recently awarded the Project of the Year Award from the Midwest Branch, Michigan Chapter of the American Public Works Association.
The award also recognized the Bicentennial Park retaining wall replacement, along with the Five Mile Hill Overlook Reconstruction.
"City Council's commitment to fund quality-of-life projects like these, coupled with our dedicated city staff executing and completing each project, exemplifies these community improvements will positively impact the city's open spaces," City Manager Ashley Latsch said in a news release.
The city council had approved the capital improvement during the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Assistant City Manager Dana Kollewehr, who led the project, said the overall upgrades were “long overdue.”
Anyone with questions may contact Derek Gajdos, the city’s project management director, at 616-935-3210 or dgajdos@grandhaven.org.
— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
