Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

The Brighton City Council has given final approval to an MSU Federal Credit Union branch, to be located where the vacant Big Boy restaurant is situated at Challis Road and Grand River. Approval came on a unanimous vote Thursday night at the regular City Council meeting.

The building had been given preliminary approval by the City Planning Commission last month. The 7,700 square-foot structure will replace the former Big Boy building, which will be demolished to make way for the new edifice.

Four drive-thru lanes will be located at the rear of the structure. There was just one deviation from the original site plan: The institution asked for, and received, a waiver to enable construction of a loading dock.

Erin Bodell, MSU Federal Credit Union's vice president of infrastructure, planning and facilities, told council, quote, “We are proud to be expanding into Brighton…We look forward to making an impact.”

The MSU Federal Credit Union was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in East Lansing. It is the 41st largest credit union in the US. The firm has 23 branches - mostly in Michigan. As of June 2023, it had $7.61 billion in assets, about 350,000 members and 1,261 employees.

MSUFCU has won several industry and workplace awards, including the Detroit Free Press’s Top Workplaces, Great Places to Work, and West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Institution officials say that construction of the new building is set to begin as soon as the Big Boy is razed, with completion expected by next July.