Native Information: Unveiling the brand new look (8/10/22)

(Sentinel Pictures by Kim Fickett)
The outside of Northwest Financial institution might not have modified a lot, however the inside has taken on a complete new look due to the latest renovation of the downtown Le Mars location. After greater than 28 years of not receiving any updates, patrons might be pleasantly shocked after they now step by the financial institution’s doorways.

LE MARS — The ribbon will formally be minimize on the grand reopening of Northwest Financial institution at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 16, throughout a Le Mars Space Chamber of Commerce espresso.

After six months of not being within the downtown location, Northwest Financial institution employees spent 4 days hustling and bustling in mid-July to prepare for the massive reveal.

“We had folks ready on the entrance door for us to open,” Northwest Financial institution President Kevin Eekhoff stated of the primary day the financial institution reopened following the transform. “The plan was for it to be carried out by Aug. 1 however as an alternative it took six months and two weeks and we have been capable of be again within the constructing.”

The entire demolition of the financial institution’s first and second flooring started on Jan. 3.

“Our footprint of the constructing didn’t change however every part contained in the constructing has,” Eekhoff stated.

These adjustments embody an entire overhaul with every part besides the north wall.

“The financial institution hadn’t been reworked for over 28 years. It was properly overdue,” Eekhoff stated. “As you stroll within the door you see the brightness of the foyer and among the darkish colours we had earlier than at the moment are freshened and brightened up.

From the substitute of all of the financial institution’s doorways and home windows, to the set up of a brand new ceiling, carpet and new LED lighting, to the addition of an ADA accessible rest room on the primary flooring, to new furnishings, paint and tile, patrons are certain to be taken again after they stroll by the doorways of the brand new house.

Two digital partitions will greet prospects as they first enter the doorways.

“The primary one is a historical past wall of Northwest Financial institution and the second is a advertising wall on the north wall. TV’s are on every wall exhibiting markets and so forth,” Eekhoff defined of the brand new options.

“We even have a brand new drive up window within the southwest nook of the financial institution, in addition to relocated our teller traces from the southwest to the identical nook because the drive up lane so our tellers might serve each,” Eekhoff shared.

One other welcome addition to the financial institution was that of extra workplace house.

“We began with 5 workplaces and now we now have 11, a convention room, in addition to the addition a WC on the primary flooring which we by no means had earlier than,” Eekhoff stated.

The upstairs additionally noticed the break room, three bogs, one workplace house, boardroom and a storage space up to date.

As a substitute of electing to remain on web site all through the development, Eekhoff and his workforce relocated to the financial institution’s former south department of Enterprise Freeway 75.

“The benefit of transferring out to our south financial institution gave our contractors the power to finish our transform in six months in comparison with 14 months if we might have stayed in our downtown location whereas building was being accomplished,” Eekhoff stated.

Schelling Building of Sioux Middle was the challenge’s normal contractor with a number of different subcontractors part of the challenge.

“I wish to thank the employees for every part we went by to maneuver every part off the primary flooring and transfer it both into storage or out to south financial institution. A giant kudos to the employees for getting this factor carried out. We additionally wish to thank our prospects for his or her persistence whereas we have been underneath building and for the inconvenience of a few of going to south financial institution. Now that we’re again right here, we recognize them coming into the brand new facility. We thank all of the contractors, they did a incredible job retaining this challenge on process and on time,” Eekhoff famous.

“It’s good to get the entire employees again in the identical constructing once more. We’re blissful to be again downtown.”