Development News

Buttons and Beanstalks brings kiddie chic to Williamston

Danielle Mackay, Buttons and Beanstalks Wednesday, April 24, 2013

As a stay-at-home mom, Danielle Mackay loved to shop for her kids at children's boutiques, but kept running into the same problem: there just weren't enough options for boys. As both of Mackay's children are boys, this posed a problem for a boutique shopper like herself that she was determined to solve. Her answer was opening Buttons and Beanstalks.

"I do everything one-for-one between girls and boys," says Mackay. "I carry a lot of accessories that are really hard to find. I hand-make a lot of the hair ties and ties for little boys."

The children's boutique began online about a year ago, and has now expanded into a physical shop in Williamston's Keller Plaza. The new Buttons and Beanstalks opened on April 13 in a 220 square foot shop.

"I like that it is all indoors," Mackay says. "The size of the space is perfect."

Mackay now operates the shop on limited hours, but hopes to soon expand into full retail hours. She anticipates hiring up to three employees once Button and Beanstalks has expanded its hours.

Source: Danielle Mackay, Buttons and Beanstalks
Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

Vortex Midwest opens Williamston office, adding up to three jobs

Cory Anderson, Vortex Midwest Wednesday, October 24, 2012

If you’re a frequent visitor to playgrounds in Michigan, you’ve probably noticed a trend spreading throughout the state: splashpads.

“Splashpads have been a hot item,” says Cory Anderson, owner and general manager of Williamston’s new Vortex Midwest office. “We have over 115 splashpads in Michigan and over 350 in the Midwest.”

Though affiliated with Montreal-based Vortex Aquatic Structures International, the new local business is owned and operated by Anderson and provides service and customer support to those many splashpads.

Andreson opened the business out of his home in January of 2012, and it quickly grew to the point of needing staff and office space. Four months ago, Vortex Midwest officially opened it’s Grand River location in Williamston. Anderson currently has one staff member is looking to quickly add two more.

“I moved in, and the landowner was very nice and gave me the possibility of expanding into more space,” says Anderson of the 600 square foot office and 1,500 square feet of storage space he currently occupies, “and it looks like I’m going to be needing it sooner than later. Things are just kind of booming.”

Assistance dog training non-profit opens Grand Ledge storefront

Dr. Nikki Kersey, G.L.A.D. Wednesday, August 15, 2012

In her work with students with physical and cognitive needs at Lansing’s Beekman Center, Dr. Nikki Kersey witnessed a notable difference in children’s development when interacting with dogs.

“The kids would talk to the dogs or throw the ball to the dogs, which helped them reach some of their goals,” says Kersey. “We started thinking that these goals are usually worked on at home with their parents too, so why can’t they have dogs at home to help them do that?”

That inspired Kersey to help connect families who could benefit from such interaction to well-trained assistance dogs. Seven years ago, Great Lakes Assistance Dogs, or G.L.A.D. was born in Kersey’s living room.

“My partner and I are social workers, and we work with the families who work with the dogs,” says Kersey. “Nobody else offers that. When a person calls us to get started, we pair them up with puppies and start them in the bonding process right away.”

Though the non-profit started out slowly, Kersey says it was about two years ago when the phone really began to ring. The increase in need has led to growth in the organization, and now G.L.A.D. is celebrating its new 1,000 square foot storefront in Grand Ledge.

G.L.A.D. is always looking for volunteer puppy raisers, and relies nearly entirely on volunteers and donations. The new Grand Ledge location allows for the organization to rent space to a dog groomer, who also donates a portion of her profits back to G.L.A.D.

Kersey plans to continue to grow G.L.A.D. and provide assistance dogs to families in need. The cost to raise each dog is estimated at $25,000, and families are asked to contribute $12,500 for their dog. Kersey hopes to eventually provide dogs to families at no cost.

Nexus Academy to bring blended learning, 12 jobs to 15,000 sq ft high school

Mickey Revenaugh, Connections Education Wednesday, August 01, 2012

After being one of the first two cyber charter schools allowed in Michigan in 2010, Connections Education noticed that for all the added benefits of online learning, some of their students were looking for a little something more.

“It’s known as blended learning,” says Mickey Revenaugh, executive vice president at Connections Education. “It’s where you’re combining online education, with all its personalization and flexibility, and in person education, with all the guidance that brings.”

Connections Education is now using the blended learning format to create two new high schools in Michigan, one in Grand Rapids and the other in Okemos. Revenaugh is providing technical assistance to the board of the Nexus Academy of Lansing.

“Michigan is known nationally as having a really robust charter school landscape,” says Revenaugh. “We found that there are quite a few really high quality charter schools in the area, but not a lot of high school options.”

The new, 15,000 square foot school will be located on University Park Drive in a building previously utilized for offices and is currently undergoing $300,000 in renovations. The school will have an open floor plan without traditional walls and will include such features as a fitness center and lounge with couches for students to use during their online courses.

Nexus Academy of Lansing will be rolling up to 250 high school students this fall. Twelve instructors will be employed to work on-site, and students will benefit from an online community of more than 50 virtual instructors.

AL!VE set to open final, 20,000 sq ft phase, add 20 jobs in December

Patrick Sustrich, Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital Wednesday, August 01, 2012

After five years of planning and development and a year after its first phase opened its doors, Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital will celebrate the completion of AL!VE’s second and final phase this December in Charlotte. The community health and well-being facility has already received 65,000 visits to the 45,000 square foot location and is looking forward to even more visitors and expanded programming when it opens the additional 20,000 square feet of space this year.

“The mission of AL!VE is to enhance the overall heath and vitality of the region. Expanding the indoor walking path, adding more conference space and making AL!VE more accessible to families by offering childcare will further allow us to reach our mission,” says Patrick Sustrich, MS, director of health and wellness services at HGB. “Additionally, moving HGB's existing wellness center to AL!VE will increase traffic into the building and provide a tremendous expansion of programs and services available to these members.”

The new area will include a child development area, locker rooms, fitness center and conference space offering a boardroom and two additional meeting rooms. Forty workers are currently employed at AL!VE, and an additional 20 will be added with the opening of the new phase.

Sustrich notes that the truly community-minded facility is, and will continue to be open and free to the public.

“Things such as indoor walking, rock climbing, social and gathering spaces, etc. are free to everyone,” he says. “Additional classes and programs are offered on a fee per service basis. These programs include, but are not limited to, cooking classes, spa treatments, clinical services and a healthy eating cafe.”

$2.1M Live, Learn, Lead Academy development to teach entrepreneurship, add 15 jobs

Paula Diane Cunningham, Learn, Live, Lead Entrepreneurship Academy Wednesday, July 25, 2012

A lot of people don’t start receiving bank statements until after they’ve stopped receiving report cards. At the new Learn, Live, Lead Entrepreneurial Academy on West Miller Road in Lansing, students will receive both.

“Every child inside of our school will have jobs,” says founder, Paula Diane Cunningham “They will apply for it, and they will interview. In addition to a report card, they will get bank statements. They have to understand that time is money. There are no excuses in this school.”

Cunningham is a former president of Lansing Community College and CEO of Capital National Bank. Cunningham says the school, which meets all Michigan certifications for K-6 schools, will be a free public institution for students and parents who want a rigorous learning environment.

“It is for students who want to be in an environment with high expectations and students who are creative,” says Cunningham. “Students will each have their own learning plans.”

The innovative academy will be held inside a former church. The 134,000 square foot building was purchased for $1.35 million and is currently undergoing $750,000 million in renovations. Enrollment is underway now, and Cunningham plans to admit 140 K-6 students the first year. Twelve to 15 staff will be employed for the new school. An affiliated high school is planned for the future.

“It’s been a labor and a journey of love,” Cunningham of the academy’s development. “We believe students needs more entrepreneurial skills and the tenants of entrepreneurialism should be beginning early on.”

Goldfish Swim School to open in Okemos, add 25 jobs

Rebecca Burlingame, Goldfish Swim School Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Future swimmers and their parents will soon have a new option for getting their bearings in the deep end. The Birmingham, Michigan-based Goldfish Swim School will be opening a location in Okemos soon.

“We are really excited to be moving into the Lansing area,” says Rebecca Burlingame, general manager of Goldfish. “We have a very specialized curriculum that has been proven. The instructors are very well trained, and are passionate about swimming and getting children the swim skills necessary for confidence.”

Goldfish accepts children from four months through 12 years of age and teaches them to swim in a 90 degree pool set in a 92 degree environment. Goldfish currently operates five locations and will soon expand to ten, including the Okemos facility.

The Okemos Goldfish will be located in an 8,000 square foot facility near Meridian Mall and will employ 25 workers upon opening, with a goal of reaching 45 after a year and a half of operations. Burlingame expects renovations to be complete in time for a late winter opening.

“We’re going to have to dig a pool,” she says. “And we have really unique, tropical décor for our facilities, so we’ll be making it look like our other locations.”

Kick It Out Competitive Dance to open in 1,000 square foot East Lansing studio, adding four jobs

Denise Krumm, Kick It Out Competitive Dance Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Denise Krumm wants Lansing area dancers to unlearn some of the lessons they may have retained about competitive dance on shows like Dance Moms.

“I‘ve seen way too many children and adults turned away because someone says, ‘You’re not good enough,’” Krumm says. “I think if you have your heart and soul in it, there is a spot for everybody.”

Krumm’s new Kick it Out Competitive Dance will give all dancers the chance to compete. The new dance studio will place all students into appropriate levels so everyone from children to adults can learn dance, as well as enjoy the fun of competing.

“I had been coaching dance for over 15 years. I’ve been coaching the ages form kindergarten through high school. I decided it was time for me to branch out and get into business for myself. I’ve got a really good staff behind me of teachers and instructors."

Krumm’s new studio will employ two instructors and two assistant instructors specializing in lyrical, jazz, hip-hop and pom dancing.

“Our instructors are fantastic,” Krumm says. “They’re young, fresh and they know what they’re doing. They’ve done a lot of training, and I’ll also be sending them to additional trainings. I feel that they are going to pull in a lot of people because of their expertise and their enthusiasm.”

Kick it Out Competitive Dance will open on July 1 in a 1,000 square foot studio renovated by Krumm’s friends and family on Haslett Road in East Lansing.

Little Scholars Preschool to add Mason location, up to 10 staff

Tim Brannan, Brandino Properties Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Little Scholars Preparatory School just opened in Downtown Lansing in 2010, and already, the childcare center and preschool are full to capacity with a waiting list. Owner Audrey Pallone says that the focus on education and low ratios of children to staff have made the center a success.

Pallone hopes to experience the same kind of success in DeWitt with Little Scholars North Campus, which recently opened in two classrooms of the former Gunnisonville Elementary School. The school was recently purchased by Brandino Properties, who will soon open a charter school to share the 26,000-square foot space.

“We’re proving that continuum of care,” says Brandino Properties’ Tim Brannan of the site that will, in total, house the childcare center, charter school and an assisted living facility. “[Pallone’s] focus is getting these kids ready for kindergarten. Her area of expertise is development and early child development.”

Little Scholars North Campus is licensed for 38 students and maintains a one to four teacher-to-student ratio, which exceeds state requirement. At full capacity the center could employ up to 10 workers. The center serves children ages six weeks through six years of age.

Mathnasium brings specialized tutoring, adds four jobs to Okemos

Joel Tillman, Mathnasium Wednesday, June 06, 2012

When Joel Tillman was working as an alternative education and substitute teacher, he enjoyed working with the kids, but he felt that there was something missing in the way in which he was able to meet their needs in the classroom.

“I didn’t feel like I was able to reach as many kids as I could,” says Tillman. “With the restrictions on how classrooms are, there are always students who need more help, and then there are kids who are bored because they learn so quickly.”

That’s when Tillman came across the Mathnasium concept, a math tutoring franchise that allows students to learn in individualized ways that make sense to them. The center is designed for both students who need additional help to keep up, and gifted students who are ready to move ahead of their peers.

“They explain math in terms that students have already been exposed to,” Tillman says. “With this individualized approach, I can reach more kids and help them overcome their fear toward math.”

On June 18, Tillman will open the Lansing area’s first Mathnasium in a 1,200 square foot space within Jolly Oak Convenience Center at the northeast corner of Jolly and Okemos Roads. CBRE|Martin now reports that the center is at 100 percent occupancy.

“When I moved to Okemos, I got to know the community,” says Tillman. “I realized it was a community that cares about education.”

Tillman will hire four part-time instructors to help him run Mathnasium. Should the Okemos center be well received, he hopes to open additional Mathnasium centers in the future.

Eco-friendly baby goods store expands into new space, rebrands, adds four jobs

Stephanie White, Little Green Branches Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Stephanie White started Z Bear Diapers in Holt when her first child was a year old and the woman from whom she purchased her cloth diapers and accessories was moving out of town.

“I honestly started the whole thing as a hobby,” White says. “When she moved, I decided to start up.”

The hobby grew into a business operation out of White's home, which then expanded into an office space in Holt. The business is now in a brand new location, with a new name and expanded inventory. The new location is next to Play and the East Lansing Food Coop. Little Green Branches celebrated its grand opening last week in its new 950 square foot spot.

“It’s right next door to Play, which is the exact same market I want to be in,” says White. “We’re also so fortunate with the community gardens and the East Lansing Food Coop right here. It’s a fun little strip.”

In addition to cloth diapers, White now carries a variety of eco-friendly baby items, such as toys made from recycled plastic and cornstarch runoff, nursing covers and pads, reusable lunch kits and more.

“The Okemos and East Lansing area is a community that is getting into the eco-friendly side of things,” White says. “I’m really excited about being here.”

With the opening of Little Green Branches, White has added four new part time positions to help staff the store. Eventually, she would like to expand her inventory to include more home goods and continue to grow into her new location.

Your Creative Escape triples space with new downtown Eaton Rapids location

Traci Lawson, Your Creative Escape Wednesday, May 09, 2012

After being a stay-at-home mom for some time, Traci Lawson was itching to get back into the working world. One day, while driving through downtown Eaton Rapids, she saw a sign on a vacant storefront that said “For Lease, $700 per month.”

“I said to my husband, ‘I think I can sell $700 of something in a month,’” Lawson says.

She was right. Lawson and her husband Jaime opened Your Creative Escape, a paint-your-own-pottery studio in March of 2011 and received such a positive response, they were running out of room.

“We could seat 49 people in that store and we were very often full to the gills,” Lawson says. “I hated turning people away.”

Exactly one year after opening, Your Creative Escape has moved to a 3,000 square foot studio on Hall Street in downtown Eaton Rapids, tripling the business’ original footprint. Lawson attributes their extraordinary growth to the community atmosphere that has grown in the studio.

“It’s like a big conversation,” says Lawson, “and there’s lots of laugher. It’s a fun environment. There are many people who didn’t know each other before and now it’s like a big family.”

Your Creative Escape is also a fun alternative to going to the bar for many local adults. The pottery studio is open until midnight on Fridays and features such fun events as Diva Night. The studio is currently working with the Island City Dog Park Club on a community fundraiser.

Mason church builds $1.7M recreation center for community

Gerhard Weigelt, Mason Church of the Nazarene Wednesday, May 09, 2012

The idea began more than 15 years ago, and slowly but surely, the Mason First Church of the Nazarene has worked to raise funds and construct a 17,000 square foot Recreational Outreach Center for the community.

“We started by asking the question, ‘What does the community need?’” says Lead Pastor for Mason First Church of the Nazarene Gerhard Weigelt. “We have a strong concern for the youth of today and wanted to provide strong places for the youth to develop.”

The new Recreational Outreach Center intends to do just that. Located on the church’s 45 acre property on West Dansville Road in Mason, the center includes a basketball court, computer lab, warming kitchen and large youth room. Weigelt says the church hopes to add a fitness room in the future.

“Our tagline is ‘Rock Solid Fun,’” says Weigelt. “We’re excited about the journey we’re on and serving the community. We’re having a blast.”

The approximately $1.7 million project broke ground in 2007, though fundraising began way back when the idea first developed 15 years ago. The congregation is raising all of the funds through donations above and beyond their regular giving to the church.

The Recreational Outreach Center opened for use this spring. The church will continue to develop the property, looking first to outfit the computer lab with 10 to 15 workstations and tutoring services for students. Weigelt says the church has discussed adding outdoor baseball fields and other facilities to the property in the future.

New Williamston Bead Works opens in Keller's Plaza

Carol Lacca, Williamston Bead Works Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Keller’s Plaza in Williamston is quickly becoming a crafter’s paradise. Most recently, Williamston Bead Works, a new beading store, has opened in one of the upstairs suites, joining a handful of other craft businesses.

“The ten different suites are all rented now,” says Carol Lacca, owner of Williamston Bead Works of Keller’s Plaza. “It surprised me when I got here it had so much. There is a lot of traffic up here now.”

Beginning in April, all of those visitors have the chance to buy beads, beaded crafts, jewelry supplies and would also be able to take beading classes in Lacca’s new business. After teaching art and science for 30 years, Lacca put her energy into a new art form: beading. She sold her beadwork at a number of places and finally decided it was time to open a store of her own.

“I couldn’t believe it, but I realized I had enough bead in my house to make a store out of,” she says. “I have all kinds of beads from the seed bead to the big beads and semi-precious stones.”

In her 223 square foot store, Lacca offers classes, lectures, workshops and individual tutoring on beading. The former teacher especially loves working with kids and hopes her shop inspires more young people to enjoy beading.

Play brings 2600 sq ft of fun to East Lansing

Kasey Shoemaker, Play Wednesday, February 01, 2012

When Holt native and MSU graduate Kasey Shoemaker had twin girls, she knew it was time to leave Chicago and come back to the Lansing area to be closer to her family. When she returned six months ago, however, she found something missing from her life as a mommy.

“I said, ‘What am I going to do with my two-year-olds?’” says Shoemaker. “I wanted a place on the east side for moms to meet and have some coffee while their kids play.”

It didn’t take her long to open the doors of Play, an eco-friendly indoor play area for kids on Northwind Drive in East Lansing.

“I wanted to be close the East Lansing Coop and the community garden,” says Shoemaker. “We got it up and running in a couple of months.”

Play is 2,600 square feet of open space with couches and coffee for parents and nature-based, Montessori-style activities for children from infants to six years old. The space features play houses, a miniature farmer’s market and the innovative Imagination Playground, a playscape made of large, movable blue blocks.

“They are usually only found in public institutions,” says Shoemaker. “The parents have had just was much fun with them as the children.”

Play opened just over a week ago, and Shoemaker reports the business was at capacity for the first two days. She already has birthday parties booking up in March.

“It’s been amazing,” she says. “The moms have been great,” she says.

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