DUNCANSVILLE - Altoona Regional Health System Federal Credit Union officials can't wait until spring.
The credit union will have a modern new building to call home in April along Route 764 near here.
The single-story, 2,100-square-foot facility will replace a renovated home the credit union acquired six years ago when credit union members from Veeder-Root merged into Altoona Regional's FCU. Today, the credit union has 4,300 members.
The new energy-efficient office will feature full deposit, loan and electronic services, including areas for new accounts, tellers, investments, financial education, coin counter, two-lane drive-through service and a 24-hour ATM.
"We will have all new systems. This will benefit our members who are our lifeblood. We want to give them everything they deserve," Sonya Mannion, president of the credit union's board of directors, said Wednesday.
The credit union found it would be cheaper to build a new facility rather than renovate the home.
"Our board of directors examined repair and renovation options to the existing office/house structure and determined repairs plus future modernization needs were more costly than building a new facility," credit union CEO Carol Ann Stevens said.
The new building will serve as the credit union's headquarters but the offices at Altoona Hospital and the Station Medical Center will remain open.
Five new full-time employees are expected to be added as a result of the project, Stevens said. The credit union presently employs nine full- and six part-time workers.
Momentum Inc., which has an office in Pittsburgh and headquarters in Seattle, Wash., is overseeing the design, construction and implementation of the project.
"Financial buildings are a specialty of ours. We do them all over the country. This is like a local project for us," project architect Jerry Karle said.
Momentum is using the services of local contractors on the project which began Oct. 22.
Local contractors include Ventura Construction Services, the primary contractor; Joe Colombo and Sons, Mid-State Drywall, Litz Electric, Riley Plumbing, Alexander Architects, DeGol Carpet, Image Signs and A.J. Mercer Painting.
