News and Articles

Today’s financial institutions are grappling with sporadically closed branches, limited main office hours, and employees reluctant to spend time away from their newly minted ‘home offices’. Recent studies reveal that 26% of workers who were in the office will remain remote after COVID.

To retool existing as well as planned branches, main offices, and operation centers, financial institutions are asking Consultants & Builders, Inc. (CBI) to think outside traditional architectural trappings to keep current employee talent and provide a Post COVID experience. We continue to develop spaces that give workers a reason to want to leave their homes:

• • Instead of one headquarters there is a growing trend to move towards “Corporate Hubs” (smaller upgraded spaces in areas the talent can get to easily and want to be there).
  • Give the talent “Access” to things they would not have at home:
    • Better virtual meeting spaces (sans family member interruptions)
    • Gym space
    • Nursing rooms and quiet spaces
    • Outdoor eating space for social distancing
    • Touchless water fountains, bathroom accessories, and faucets
  • Flex offices that can be cleaned and maintained easily for employees to visit weekly versus daily when onsite meetings are a must.
  • Microbranches – Standalone and in retail malls enabling fewer employees to serve the needs of customers/members.
  • Interactive Teller machines (ITM) versus ATMs and/or teller positions. CBI has adaptively reused office and branch space for ITM remote workers to cover branches and client needs over a vast multi-location service area.
  • CBI is also adept at converting existing unused space into separate leasable space more ideally optimized in a new configuration.

Create spaces that enable your employees to feel secure while remaining connected, innovative, and part of a fun work culture.

Architecture traditionally is so seemingly static, utilitarian, and permanent. At CBI we work to create designs and marketing that are dynamic and timeless, while being functional and adaptive. The financial industry in the marketplace is changing so quickly it’s amazing what we can create with our clients when we each truly listen and participate.

“Consultants and Builders, Inc’s experience in designing and building branches helped us create a modern atmosphere that captures our brand and lays the ground work for our ongoing branch transformation. They understand how to merge new technologies with the flow of the retail space while maintaining our core focus which is on the member experience.” – Michael Huff / VP Project Management, Associated Credit Union

On a spectacularly clear and sunny day, San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Operations Center on November 13th. Consultants and Builders, Inc. is excited for the continued collaboration with SACFCU on the iconic 11,000 square foot facility being created in the San Antonio, Florida community. With heavy machinery on site and staking underway, building construction on the new Center will continue this winter with an expected opening in late 2021/early 2022.

“Building this facility is an example of our commitment to our members, our staff and our communities. As banking continues to move into the digital era, the Board of Directors saw the need to provide a state of the art facility that promotes collaboration and communication for support staff in the areas of lending, marketing and human resources.  As our membership and our communities continue to grow, this facility will help us attract highly talented individuals to join our team, provide additional job opportunities and advancement for our current staff, and expand our footprint in our membership field. We are proud to build the Operations Center in the town where we began, San Antonio, Florida,” said Patty Sarne, President and CEO.

Atlanta, GA based CDC Federal Credit Union, established in 1949, has chosen Consultants and Builders, Inc. to design, build, and furnish a new prototype branch located in the Northlake Mall area near I-285 within the City of Tucker.  The new branch will be the first free standing building built for the credit union and will utilize Teller Pods, ITM’s, heavy marketing and digital displays, and contemporary furnishings. The exceptional branch site is an out-parcel located near a major high traffic intersection in a rapidly growing commercial corridor enabling further expansion and market presence for the CDC FCU.  The unique exterior design of this 3,000 square foot, free-standing branch exhibits contemporary lines with warm earth tone materials reflective of the nearby growing community while the tower entrance element maximizes visibility and marketing opportunities.  The design includes two drive up lanes with advanced ITMs for Members. The efficient design lowers construction cost, while the integration of advanced technology maximizes operational efficiency and return on investment. CBI will also renovate a portion of the Main Office once their branch services are relocated to the new Northlake Mall site. We look forward to the partnership, collaboration, and further progress with the CDC Federal Credit Union to ensure their strategic growth initiatives are a continued success.

Consultants and Builders, Inc., based in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was selected to provide design services, architecture, interior design, engineering, furnishings, construction and equipment. CBI has a proven track record of handling small and large projects across a geographic area simultaneously and provides full project management services while using local subcontractors.

San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union will celebrate the groundbreaking of its new Operations Center on November 13th. The credit union chose CBI to design and build its new Ops Center as part of a program to further spearhead their overall market presence and service to its Members.  The new construction will be located adjacent to their Main Office on Curley Street, in San Antonio, Florida. Building construction on the new Ops Center will begin this winter, with the location expected to open in late 2021/early 2022.

Tuscaloosa based Alabama ONE Credit Union, initially chartered in 1951, has selected Consultants and Builders, Inc. as their design-build partner to optimize the Credit Union’s expansion strategy with the development of new branches, ITM kiosks, and member service objectives. We look forward to the collaborative efforts and a long lasting relationship with Alabama ONE Credit Union.

Alabama ONE Credit Union is a full-service financial institution with a combined financial strength of $690 million in assets, over $72 million in Capital, and services across 57 Alabama counties immediately serving over 65,000 members with the potential to serve over 500,000 households and over 100,000 businesses across Alabama.

Consultants and Builders, Inc. is a full-service design-build firm providing the most creative and cost efficient solutions for our clients’ financial facility needs. Defining the standard for quality and integrity since 1986, CBI offers a complete portfolio of integrated services. Value oriented and time tested, our seamless, single source model consistently earns the highest level of client satisfaction.