Serving the community

A credit union opens up into larger space to serve members more effectively

BY CINDY GRAHL

The new East College Street neighborhood in Oberlin is home to a variety of new residents and businesses, and among them are the new offices of The Ohio Educational Credit Union. The credit union had had a small office right across the street from the new digs, but the 700-sf it had did not offer its members a lot of privacy, says the OECU’s Bob Becker, who is chief operating officer. So the OECU decided to move into the new retail section of the Sustainable Community Associate’s development. “We were lucky to get this space, with all the foot traffic, and we are excited to be part of this development,” he says. The new space is 2,600-sf with 200-sf devoted to the back office area. Scott Dimit of Dimit Architects LLC in Lakewood was the designer of the interior space. The Oberlin OECU was a small build-out in this LEED development, he says, with the recently completed OECU offices in Lakewood used as a prototype. “It is a fresh, contemporary space.” says Dimit. “The greenness is seen in the choice of carpet, paint, and lighting, which is energy efficient. We kept it in the context of colors OECU favors, and it was very cost effective.” Ohio Desk did the panel work at Oberlin, but to keep it green, OECU reused furniture from another office that had closed. Dimit notes that the HVAC system was a little challenge, with its special sustainability focus, but that WHS Engineers, the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer, more than met MEP challenges, with Bill Shephardson serving as project manager. Dimit is very positive about the natural light offered by East College Street’s glazing, with big windows front and back. “It is spectacular, and it gives OECU a street presence,” he says. “What’s nice is that there is so much natural light, both back and front,” agrees Becker. “And there are gardens in back where some merchants will be growing their own food for sale. Regency has built us a wide open space,” says Becker. Repeat business OECU had worked with Regency Construction Services before on its Lakewood offices, so Regency was delighted when the credit union called them in on the Oberlin project. “We are proud to have them as repeat customers,” says Regency’s Julie Nader. “We worked hand-in-hand with them on the design, with foreman Tony Beursken there on-site. It took a lot of phone calls, but we made sure the client got what they needed.” Dimit notes that construction moved smoothly, and Regency was a big help. “It was all a team design/build effort,” he says. The Oberlin office is the second OECU to be opened recently, with a prototype debuting last August on Madison in Lakewood that combined the service of the Lakewood school system’s credit union offices with those in Fairview Park. That 1920s building also provided a bigger area—2,400-sf--and new privacy for OECU members. “We wanted ease of access, and elbow room,” says Becker, who notes that the Lakewood office’s construction was less structured than that of Oberlin. “It’s not a traditional set up. The tellers are in a pod at the center, with cubicles on the side. And we have exposed natural brick. Regency did a great job of listening to us and giving us what we wanted.” Says Nader, “The OECU is a great client to work with, and we look forward to doing future work with them. There is a great deal of trust that developed between us. We see eye-to-eye.” BXM

Owner: Ohio Educational Credit Union
Architect: Dimit Architects
GC: Regency Construction Services
WHS Engineers, MEP engineers
Vendors:
n Art Window Coverings
n Crawford Painting and Wallcovering Ltd.
n Lakeland Glass Co.
n Jack Rush Plumbing
n MAC Mechanical Corp.
n Midland Hardware Co.
n Nagele Manufacturing Co.
n R. M. Riggle Enterprises
n Spartan Electric
n T.H. Martin