Bank opening branch downtown

Bank opening branch downtown

Courtesy ChoiceOne Bank

A bank is increasing its West Michigan footprint with a branch in downtown Grand Rapids.

Sparta-based ChoiceOne Bank said yesterday it purchased a building located at 330 Market Ave. SW and will renovate it into a branch.

The branch is slated to open in late summer 2018.

“We are approaching 120 years of serving the families and businesses in West Michigan, so we are happy to announce our plans to open a full-service office in downtown Grand Rapids,” said Kelly Potes, president and CEO, ChoiceOne Bank.

The $2-million project, including the acquisition and renovation, will add a covered patio to the 3,800-square-foot building, increasing it to 4,700 square feet.

The layout of the building features an open, industrial interior and a cinder block wall, which is known to local photographers, the bank said.

The bank has enlisted Grand Rapids-based Integrated Architecture to design the remodel, with plans to preserve part of the cinder block wall.

ChoiceOne will provide commercial loans and residential mortgages from the location, as well as traditional banking, including treasury services.

The new office will employ eight-to-10 workers, including mortgage lenders, commercial lenders and personal bankers.

ChoiceOne currently has five commercial and mortgage lenders in Grand Rapids at its loan center on Fulton West. With the new location, ChoiceOne will add three-to-five staff members to support the current team.

Rodney Prahl will serve as head of the branch and lead ChoiceOne’s business development for the downtown area. He was recently hired by ChoiceOne and has more than 15 years of banking experience.

NAI Wisinski of West Michigan’s Doug Taatjes and Hillary Taatjes Woznick, office and retail advisors, facilitated the sale of the building by an unnamed seller.

ChoiceOne

ChoiceOne Bank has offices in Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and Newaygo counties.

ChoiceOne also offers insurance and investment products through its subsidiary, ChoiceOne Insurance Agencies.

Choice One Bank is a subsidiary of Choice One Financial Services.