PORTSMOUTH, NH. (April 20, 2011) – Service Credit Union hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, April 19th on the future site of the credit union’s LEED gold certified, new corporate offices building at 2995 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth. The 100,000 square foot building is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012.
Gordon Simmons, President/CEO of Service Credit Union, welcomed credit union, local and state officials to the ceremony where construction began in early spring.
“Our time for more space is overdue and that need had to be addressed. We had known for years that we would need more space,” says Simmons. “But, instead, we invested in branching, products and member service. In 2005, we began seeking property to purchase to construct our new home. We looked at many New Hampshire locations, including here in Portsmouth, and finally chose this fine property.”
Currently, Service Credit Union’s Corporate Offices resides at 2010 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth in a 19,000 square foot building. The new building, designed by the architectural firm of GUND Partnership of Cambridge, Mass., will be constructed with local, New Hampshire labor. Both the new and current Corporate Office buildings will accommodate present and expected future growth over the next ten to fifteen years. Service Credit Union will immediately house over 100 employees, bringing 60 new jobs to the city after completion with plans for expansion of another 40 or more jobs over the next five years.
“We are here to celebrate the building project of a world class organization led by Gordon Simmons,” says John Prokos, Managing Principal of Gund Partnership. “It will be an iconic urban landmark which reinforces urban design.”
Suffolk Construction Northeast President and General Manager Mark DiNapoli said “the building was not an office but a place of influence and importance for members and staff.” He also added it was a symbol of strength and stability.
“Service Credit Union is committed to a clean, friendly environment”, says Gordon Simmons, “thus, we are pleased that we were able to pursue the LEED green initiative (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) directed by the U. S. Green Building Council. Our LEED building addresses the cleanup of a formerly contaminated landsite, water, energy and atmospheric efficiencies, materials and resources as well as indoor environmental quality, innovation and design. We are striving for a LEED Gold certification”. The new corporate offices will be designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and improved indoor environmental quality.
The four-story building will feature a full service, 24/7 member service call center, foreign exchange, member check imaging processing and control, Finance, community rooms, conference rooms, departmental and executive offices.
“Three community rooms are planned to be offered for use by local city government, not-for-profit organizations and other community based associations to help with the growing need for meeting space in Portsmouth and nearby towns,” says Simmons.
This new building expands Service Credit Union’s footprint in the area. More than 50 years ago, the credit union began at Pease Air Force Base as the Portsmouth Air Force Base Federal Credit Union to serve military and civilian employees there. Now the largest credit union in New Hampshire at more than $1.8 billion in assets and serving the citizens in nine of the ten counties in the state, four towns in Massachusetts and with members around the world, Service Credit Union has grown to serve close to 147,000 members with branches in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Germany. Besides the new corporate offices, the credit union’s current properties will be used by the credit union for present requirements and to expand on future needs.
Service Credit Union is a full service financial institution, offering a wide range of financial products to its members. With 35 branch locations including two staffed 24/7 contact centers, and full internet banking services, Service Credit Union serves anyone who lives or works in New Hampshire (excluding Coos County), 4 towns in Cape Cod, MA., and all branches of the U.S. Military and Department of Defense employees and their families. Service Credit Union has 17 branches in New Hampshire, one in Massachusetts, and 16 branches on U.S. military bases in Germany.
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