Courtesy photo Baybank President/CEO Michael Nardi, surrounded by Baybank employees and members of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassadors of Delta County, welcomes customers to the bank’s new Escanaba branch during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The ceremony took place during the branch’s first day of business on Monday, Nov. 1.

ESCANABA — After two and a half years of planning and construction, Baybank’s new Escanaba branch on North Lincoln Road officially opened for business on Monday, Nov. 1. Representatives of Baybank and members of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassadors of Delta County took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate this milestone that afternoon.

Baybank President/CEO Michael Nardi was on hand to do the honors at the ceremony. He said the new branch, which replaces a smaller Baybank location in Escanaba, will allow the bank to serve its customers more effectively than ever before.

“We’re only 1,000 feet away from our former office, but this gives us more room to expand. Our assets have grown by about 50 percent in the last five years,” he said.

Work on the new branch, which now stands at the former location of Elmer’s Restaurant, started shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the project was delayed slightly due to the pandemic and related supply chain issues.

Now that construction on the new facility is complete, Baybank has an Escanaba location similar in size to its original branch in Gladstone. The bank has been operating in Gladstone since 1912.

“We’ll be celebrating our 110th year in business next year,” Nardi said.

“Today’s opening of this beautiful new facility demonstrates Baybank’s ongoing commitment to serve the banking needs of the community as it has for the last 110 years,” said Vickie Micheau, executive director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with our long-standing Chamber member.”

Jeff Waeghe, a member of Baybank’s board of directors and the Ambassadors of Delta County, said in-person banking services would continue to be a vital part of the bank’s operations for the foreseeable future.

“Electronic banking is quite popular now, and we offer full electronic services. But many people like to come in and talk in person about business loans and services, along with mortgages and more,” he said.