×

Community Bank HQ undergoing renovation

Contractors work on the exterior of the Community Bank of Parkersburg building on Juliana Street Thursday. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — Community Bank of Parkersburg’s Juliana Street headquarters is being transformed inside and out.

“Basically, we have run out of space,” bank President Susan Barber said.

The locally owned and operated bank has for years used the first floor and lower level of two connected buildings in the 600 block of Juliana Street — one built in 1917 as Community Savings and Loan and the other a neighboring former B.F. Goodrich tire shop. Community leased apartments and office space on the second floor in the ’80s.

“We actually had tenants up there,” said David Hines, senior vice president for Community. “It’s been pretty much sitting empty” in recent years.”

Now, that space is needed as the bank has been tasked by its board of directors with growing its assets and customer base.

“We’ve got a really good niche in the market, and our assets are continuing to grow,” Barber said.

Community is known for hands-on customer service, which has resulted in loyalty spanning generations, she said. Employees are working with the children and grandchildren of previous customers.

But there isn’t any space to add employees like loan officers to expand that capacity, Barber said. So the bank hired the Mills Group architectural firm and general contractor 3D Construction to build out the second floor with additional offices, a board room and auditor’s room. An elevator has been installed, as the only existing access to the upper levels was via two staircases outside the main offices.

In addition, the facade is being redone with new paint and signage. A new roof and windows on the second and third floors are being added as well.

In some ways, Hines said, it would have been easier to build a new structure rather than go through the expense and interruption of this renovation, which started in January. But there are advantages to keeping the existing building as well.

“We feel that we’re in a really good location,” Barber said. “And it’s hard to find a comparable location with the visibility, especially in downtown.”

The work is expected to be completed by mid-October at the earliest, she said.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today