The bank also has locations in Vandercook Lake, 4515 Francis St., and in downtown Jackson, One Jackson Square, 100 E. Michigan Ave. Notification letters were sent to customers in February, according to Rob Townsend, media relations officer for First Merit. "We are not leaving Jackson or exiting any markets," Townsend said. The closures were based on several factors, including traffic patterns, cost of operation and customer channel trends -- which Townsend described as "other ways of access" including online, mobile banking, smart phone and call center. FirstMerit Corp. officially took control of Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc. April 12, 2013, following a $912 million stock-for-stock sales agreement in September 2012. FirstMerit operates hundreds of banking and ATM locations in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Pennsylvania.