Notable News for November 2020

Martin Obtains Management Contract

Martin Commercial Properties recently obtained the contract for property management of the 2900 West Road building, an 80,000-square-foot office structure in East Lansing.

The building is near the Eastwood Towne Center and houses several businesses such as Independent Bank, McLaren Greater Lansing, Thurn Law Firm and Morgan Stanley.

Danile Sermak, senior estate manager at Martin, will be the property manager for the location. Martin will provide full-service property management including predictive and preventative maintenance, maintaining tenant relations, and accounting. Martin will also be providing leasing services for the property, as it has been since the building’s inception in 2002. Eric Rosekrans, senior vice president and office adviser at Martin, oversees the leasing activity, which historically has been at high occupancy levels.

Beyer Takes the Helm at NexTech

NexTech High School of Lansing has announced a new school leader for the 2020-2021 academic year. Nathan Beyer started at NexTech Lansing in 2017 as a science teacher for the blended learning academy and has transitioned from interim school leader to the official position.

Beyer has worked to increase his engagement in the leadership at the school, started the school’s first robotics program in 2017 and has been working as the program’s lead mentor. The following year, he sat on the strategic planning board to assist in developing the NexTech five-year plan to revamp the mission and vision for the future of the school. Before stepping into the role of interim school leader, he held the position of student support interventionist, an administrative role dedicated to improving student performance.

“I believe in the vision of our program. Our school embodies the ‘student-first’ mentality in a way that deserves to be emulated throughout the educational realm,” Beyer said. “This focus on our students and their well-being above all else has allowed us to flourish and will continue under my leadership.”

First National Bank Opens Branch

First National Bank of Michigan has announced plans to open a branch and relocate its Lansing loan production office to 101 S. Washington Square. This will become the sixth branch of First National Bank of Michigan. Other branches are in Kalamazoo County, downtown Grand Rapids and Holland. First National Bank of Michigan is a 14-year-old locally owned and operated bank. First National occupied the space in October, after renovations were completed.

“The decision was based on our commitment to be visible and accessible in the Lansing area, along with our desire to grow and expand our business,” said Patty Barnas, market president. “Along with proximity to the business district, this location aligns with our community banking focus and the history of banking in this building.”

The building was originally constructed as the Lansing State Savings Bank in 1918.

Nurse Recognized as Outstanding Latino Caregiver of the Year

Amarily “Lily” Mendez Laporte, a Sparrow Clinton Hospital emergency department nurse, has been recognized as Sparrow’s Outstanding Latino Caregiver of the Year.

“I am truly honored. Winning this award makes me feel I’m doing what I need to do as a nurse,” stated Mendez Laporte.

Mendez Laporte, who lives near Montrose in the Chesaning area, has been a Sparrow caregiver since 2017. She has received numerous nominations for the award from colleagues, physicians and hospital leaders who lauded her professionalism, her ability to swiftly identify a patient’s condition, her spirit of teamwork and her calming approach.

Mendez Laporte was recognized in a ceremony that included representatives of the Lansing Latino Health Alliance and Sparrow leaders. Mendez Laporte has also received a congressional resolution through U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin.

The Outstanding Latino Caregiver Award was established in 2016 by the Lansing Latino Health Alliance to recognize talented caregivers and to encourage members of the Latino community to consider careers in health care. The Lansing Latino Health Alliance is a nonprofit organization with the mission of improving the health status of Latinos in the Greater Lansing area.

Lansing Marijuana Dispensary Opens for Business

Bazonzoes Provisioning Center, which is in the heart of Lansing at 2101 W. Willow St., had its grand opening Sept. 10. Bazonzoes, which will eventually offer both medical and adult use marijuana, is the first of a total of three locations that the company will be opening in Michigan.

“The plan is for this Lansing location to be the headquarters of Bazonzoes. Eventually we will be growing, processing and distributing to other locations all from within this facility,” said Ryan McMullen, co-owner of Bazonzoes.

Bazonzoes originally opened in 2010 in Walled Lake, but decided to temporarily close after a series of licensing issues and changes in lease terms. The company started the reapplication process for licensing in the state in 2015 and has spent the last three years rebuilding the manufacturing facility located in north Lansing.

Attorneys Selected as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Seven attorneys from the Lansing office of Foster Swift Collins & Smith have been selected to be featured in the 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list, while two others have been selected as Rising Stars. Only 5% of the lawyers in Michigan are selected by Super Lawyers, while the Rising Stars list recognizes no more than 2.5% of attorneys in each state.

The lawyers listed in the 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list are Charles E. Barbieri in environmental, Richard C. Kraus in appellate, Scott L. Mandel in business litigation, Douglas A. Mielock in estate and probate, Patricia J. Scott in civil litigation: plaintiff, Webb A. Smith in business litigation, and Scott A. Storey in energy and resources.

The attorneys in the Rising Stars list are Zachary W. Behler in business litigation and Allison M. Collins in insurance coverage.

Martin Takes Management of East Lansing Site

Martin Commercial Properties recently obtained the contract for property management of 4050 Hunsaker, a 12,360-square-foot building in East Lansing.

The site is north of the Abbot and Lake Lansing roads intersection in the Chandler Crossings area. It is minutes from the U.S. 127/Lake Lansing Road interchange. The building is owned by 4050 LLC.

Danile Sermak, senior estate manager at Martin, will be the property manager for the location. Martin will provide full-service property management including predictive and preventative maintenance, maintaining tenant relations, and accounting. Martin will also be providing leasing services for the property, as they have been since February 2019. Eric Rosekrans, senior vice president and office adviser at Martin, oversees the leasing activity.