Bear, Delaware (January 28, 2013) - Community Powered Federal Credit Union is proud to announce the official opening of its new office and headquarters building on Route 40 in Bear, Delaware. The new Bear location was first proposed in 2010 to conveniently serve the entire New Castle County community when membership in the credit union was opened to anyone who lives, works, worships, or goes to school in New Castle County, above the C&D Canal. The building, a 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility, was designed to accommodate the growing needs of the credit union, which has steadily expanded since its beginnings in 1962 to reach its current membership of 9,000.
The building’s design, authored by the firm of Crabtree, Rohrbaugh Associates, takes advantage of natural site elements that will help to lower energy consumption and create a user-friendly facility. Design elements include the use of recycled materials in the building’s construction, the positioning of the facility to maximize usage of natural solar heat, and on-site storm water retention capabilities. In addition, the site boasts three drive-through bays for the convenience of the credit union’s membership. Community Powered Federal Credit Union specifically sought a design team that would be able to ensure that the facility would be constructed in a fiscally and environmentally responsible way.
The official inauguration of the new building took place on the morning of January 23, 2013, in a ceremony attended by local business leaders. The distinguished speakers at the event included John Watterson, President of Community Powered’s Board of Directors, Anthony Hinds, the credit union’s CEO, Richard LeBlanc, Principal and Director of Design for Crabtree, Rohrbaugh Associates, and Mark Kleinschmidt, President of the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce. The comments of the speakers were followed by an official ribbon cutting, after which attendees were treated to a tour of the facility. Said Mr. Hinds, “We are so pleased and excited to be opening this new facility, which will enable us to better serve our membership in the future. The welfare of our members is always our number one priority.”
First chartered in 1962 to serve employees of the Delmarva Power & Light Company, Community Powered has expanded in the years since its inception to offer services to all residents, employees, and businesses in New Castle County. With a current membership of over 9,000 and holdings of $117 million, Community Powered has offices in Newark, New Castle, Wilmington, and Bear. More information can be found on the credit union’s website, at www.cpwrfcu.org.