A local bank opened a new operations center in Cascade Township.

Grand Rapids-based Northpointe Bank said last week it opened the new Northpointe Bank Operations Center at 5303 28th St. Ct. SE in Cascade Township after an extensive renovation project led by Dearborn-based architect Ghafari Associates and Grand Rapids-based contractor Visser Brothers Inc.

The facility is now the national operations hub for Northpointe’s growing residential lending and servicing groups.

In fall 2019, Ghafari began the process of working with Northpointe’s leadership to conceive a creative, flexible workplace that meets the needs of a growing company while also accommodating a variety of groups, departments and work styles. Together, Ghafari and Northpointe master-planned a multitenant and expansive transformation to the former Cascade Commons building, an aging, nearly vacant 91,000-square-foot big box office building and former design showcase center. Visser Brothers was the original contractor on the Cascade Commons building and was invited back to be the contractor on the renovation.

“At Northpointe, people are the center of everything we do — and our workspace is a direct reflection of the trusted lifelong relationships we build with our customers, employees and communities,” said Chuck Williams, Northpointe’s president and CEO. “Ghafari gave us tremendous insight and drive into designing a productive environment. Beyond just brick and mortar, Ghafari delivered a smart office layout that is flexible, collaborative and a place where people want to work.”

The new facility balances tech meeting spaces with large, flexible social spaces, featuring “vast” amounts of natural light made possible by a newly updated interior skylight that spans the depth of the building.

“Given the circumstances of 2020, naturally we had to rethink how this project fits our strategic business plans,” said Ashley Moser, vice president of administration for Northpointe. “However, we immediately confirmed that our early designs of a full-functioning, collaborative workspace are very important now and in our future. Northpointe doesn’t do anything halfway. We hold to being the best at everything we do, and the operations center is an example of just that.”