KALAMAZOO, MI — First National Bank of Michigan has announced what it calls “proposed successors” to Arcadia Brewing Co. in Kalamazoo, and its 23-year-old Arcadia Ales brand.

The future of the brewery has been uncertain in recent months with news of pending tax and mortgage foreclosure proceedings.

First National Bank currently owns the property 701 E. Michigan Ave. A news release from First National Bank states the successors to Arcadia Ales have devised a “sustainable plan” to keep beer making a reality along the Kalamazoo River with the introduction of a new entity called West Michigan Brewing Co.

“Upon approval, WMB will operate the beautiful state of the art former Arcadia Ales brewing facilities and focus on producing your favorite Arcadia beers found at local retailers as well as providing contract brewing services for those beverage brands that require more capacity and or localized expert manufacturing and production,” the bank said in a news release.

Neither representatives of First National Bank of Michigan nor West Michigan Brewing could be reached for comment Friday.

Urban Feast, which the has several decades of restaurant management expertise, will direct the brewpub’s transformation into a full-service restaurant, the bank said.

Urban Feast also owns Troppo in Lansing, The Grand Woods in Grand Rapids, and operates Arcadia Ales and Smokehouse in Lansing, among other restaurants. Arcadia partnered with the Lansing-area restaurant group, founded by developer Kris Elliott, to open Arcadia Smokehouse in Lansing’s East Side neighborhood.

Since early December, Arcadia founder and CEO Tim Suprise has told MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette that the company has been in the process of engaging with potential strategic partners since early 2018. Suprise could not be reached for comment Friday.

The ownership of the property at 701 E. Michigan Ave. recently changed from Enmar, LLC, a company owned by Suprise.

A quitclaim deed in lieu of foreclosure, transferring ownership of the property from Enmar to First National Bank of Michigan, was signed by Suprise, president of Enmar, LLC, on Monday, March 18. The property was transferred to the bank for $1, according to county property records.

Both Suprise and the bank previously declined to comment on the property transfer and what it means for the brewery.

Enmar LLC has been listed in property records as the owner of the property on East Michigan Avenue since 2013, when Arcadia Brewing came to Kalamazoo, opening its doors to the public in May 2014.

First National Bank of Michigan was the mortgage lender when brewpub first came to Kalamazoo. The mortgage was originally for $3.2 million when issued in 2013.

In December, a mortgage foreclosure sale notice was filed for the Arcadia property, stating $1,409,677.12 was still outstanding on the mortgage and setting a date of Dec. 20 for a foreclosure auction.

That auction date was later adjourned. Mortgage auctions for Arcadia have been scheduled and adjourned multiple times throughout past months, according to certified court officer Karen Hencken, who handles mortgage foreclosures for Kalamazoo County. A foreclosure auction date set for Thursday, April 25, was adjourned and re-scheduled for Thursday, May 2, Hencken said.

The property has also faced the threat of tax foreclosure.

Past-due property taxes from 2016 and fees assessed on the property, totaling $5,388.74, were paid to the Kalamazoo County Treasurer’s office on March 20, stopping a process that otherwise could have resulted in foreclosure if the bill was still unpaid on April 1.

A separate May 3 news release from Arcadia Ales, with listed contact information for a representative from Urban Feast, states patrons will notice updates to the Kalamazoo property in the future, including converting the outdoor space to a full-service river terrace. The river terrace will offer full beer, wine and liquor service, the news release states.

“In addition to the Arcadia stable of beers, our Director of Brewing Operations, Dave Sippel and his production team is looking forward to working collaboratively with our brewing colleagues, distributors and retail partners here in Michigan and throughout the Midwest,” the news release from West Michigan Brewing Co. states.

A representative from Urban Feast could not be reached for comment Friday.