Premier Members Credit Union and The Neenan Company, a Fort Collins-based design-build firm, are celebrating the grand opening of the credit union’s first branch location in Thornton. The branch opening comes as Neenan plans to break ground on Premier Members’ first location in Erie, Colo.
While many in the industry are increasingly shifting to a digital-first banking strategy, Premier Members continues to build upon its brick-and-mortar presence to enhance the in-person member experience. These latest projects mark the not-for-profit financial institution’s expansion into the Thornton and Erie markets with its 15th and 17th retail branch locations. Beginning with the Thornton project, Neenan developed a new branch model that provides a flexible layout the credit union plans to apply to future sites and communities. Neenan is adapting this layout for the Erie branch location.
“The pandemic really had an impact on the person-to-person service we normally provide. The resumption of retail transactions has reinforced the importance of the in-person banking experience in relationship building. These personal interactions help strengthen the relationships we have with members and the communities we serve. Our latest projects enable us to bring this dynamic to the Thornton and Erie markets,” said Carlos Pacheco, CEO of Premier Members Credit Union.
Celebrating the opening of Premier Members’ first Thornton location, the branch’s open design reinforces the credit union’s commitment to member relationships by elevating the in-person banking experience. Conveniently located at 755 E. 144 Ave. – near I-25 – this 1,900-square-foot branch includes open teller stations, private offices, a drive-up teller and 24/7 drive-up ATM. The design emphasizes the distinct difference the credit union is bringing to Thornton by opening the neighborhood branch to foster deeper engagement with members throughout Adams County and invest in the local community through its Premier Gives program.
Premier Members Credit Union and Neenan are also planning to break ground in June on the credit union’s first location in Erie. Located at 350 Ambrose St., immediately off Erie Parkway, this 1,900-square-foot facility is expected to be complete in early 2023. The new full-service branch will offer all the same member conveniences included at the newly completed Thornton branch and marks the fourth project between Premier Members Credit Union and The Neenan Company.
The new branch model offers Premier Members’ full range of services within a smaller, more intimate building footprint. Seeking for each branch to establish its standing as the local neighborhood credit union, the design invites deeper relationships with members and the surrounding community. With layouts fostering more efficient and personalized service, the traditional, transactional teller lines are replaced with an open connection between the lobby, teller stations and open offices. The designs seek to provide multiple opportunities for the credit union to engage with members throughout their visit. The buildings’ interiors emphasize comfort with soft materials, warm wood elements and natural light. Embodying the “artisans of banking” brand, the branch designs feature details that evoke craftsmanship such as custom wood and pipe coffee hutches, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling and wall panels.
“We value clients we can build relationships with while enabling them to deliver the services at which they excel and enhance the communities around them,” said Jeff Metzger, project manager at The Neenan Company. “Through our continued work with Premier Members Credit Union, we understand their brand promise to provide a place where members can be supported in their banking needs for themselves, their homes and their businesses. We replicated that intention in these locations with warm tones and areas where people feel safe, understood and welcome. At the same time, member security remained at the forefront throughout the project, to ensure employees’ and members’ privacy is addressed and protected.”
With sustainability as a brand pillar for Premier Members, the projects’ design and construction practices bring a concentrated focus on conservation and are delivered to LEED practices. Neenan’s industry-leading design and construction practices include digital applications to limit use of paper, utilizing recycled and green materials such as low VOC products, and integrating energy-efficient appliances such as LED lighting. The sustainable project practices reinforce Premier Members Credit Union’s environmental responsibility standards, as the first financial institution in the nation to hire a sustainability specialist. The projects are the latest examples of the credit union’s efforts to help employees, members, partners, and other financial institutions reduce the footprint they leave on the environment with a focus on waste reduction, energy and water usage, and paper consumption.
