Thursday: Moran Prairie Branch opens
Coming soon: Argonne interchange becomes site of major STCU Financial Center
November is a big month for STCU, with two major property developments.
On Thursday, the STCU Moran Prairie Branch opens at 5711 S. Hailee Lane. It is STCU’s 16th branch in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
And last week, the not-for-profit credit union purchased 2.5 acres south of Interstate 90 at the Argonne interchange. CEO Tom Johnson announced to staff that tentative plans call for building an STCU Financial Center and a full-service branch at the site.
Moran Prairie Branch
With more than 10,500 vehicle trips a day, 57th Avenue is one of the South Hill’s busiest arterials. The nearby Palouse Highway accommodates more than 4,500 vehicle trips a day.
“In addition to serving the Moran Prairie community, it will be a convenient stop for STCU members who commute into Spokane from the northern Palouse,” said Patsy Gayda, STCU Vice President of Branches.
During construction, the 4,096-square-foot structure was damaged by a fire that investigators termed suspicious. Despite that August setback, Walker Construction completed construction on schedule for Thursday’s opening, Gayda noted.
The branch was designed by Nystrom+Olson Architecture to meet the requirements for eventual certification as a LEED Gold building for environmental stewardship. Among its many green features are solar panels, employee showers (to encourage alternative commute options) and construction materials that were mostly mined or produced within 500 miles of Spokane.
Branch Manager is Lori Glover, who previously was assistant manager at the STCU South Branch. Paul Swenson, another longtime employee, is assistant manager at Moran Prairie.
STCU will host a grand opening at the new branch on November 19.
STCU Financial Center
The STCU Financial Center will be among the credit union’s most prominent properties, both in terms of size and visibility.
“For years we have known that we needed a presence on the Argonne corridor, but we had just not found the right spot,” Johnson said in his announcement to staff.
The hunt ended with the purchase of the acreage at the northeast corner of Mission and Mullan, which currently includes office suites, an 18-unit former apartment building that’s been converted into office space and an older house, also converted for business use. Tenants of those buildings will be given plenty of notice before they must move out, said STCU Chief Financial Officer Bill Before.
While plans are not yet firmed up, the STCU Financial Center will likely open in 2013 or 2014, and will be a hub for many of the credit union’s lending operations and more. The site will also include a full-service branch, with easy access and visibility from I-90.
Kiemle & Hagood Company will manage the property on behalf of STCU until construction begins.
Spokane Teachers Credit Union
Founded by educators in 1934, STCU is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative with more than 110,000 members and more than $1.6 billion in total assets. In addition to being the region’s most popular credit union, STCU was among 25 employers nationwide that recently were listed as Great Place to Work® 2012 Best Small & Medium Workplaces.