Today St John's Credit Union reopened its doors at a brand new location after outgrowing its old branch offices.
Now, they're located on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard and have enough space to accommodate their growing staff and membership.
Courtney Menzies was at the grand opening today and has this story.
St John's Credit Union has moved from the cramped space on Basra Street - and the even smaller space on the Phillip Goldson Highway - to a larger, sleeker, modern office on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard. According to the president, they had long outgrown their old location but the pandemic put a wrench in their expansion plan. Still, they pushed on and were able to cut the ribbon to their new building today.
Alvan Haynes, President, BOD, St John's Credit Union
"It's an achievement that's been in the planning for years, probably ten, fifteen years. We first started by moving to the north side at a rental location in 2018 then when we were starting to plan this, COVID came along and we had to basically wait 3 years before we started again but we pushed ahead, for multiple reasons. One, we outgrew our current office based on Basra Street. We literally didn't have room for anymore staff and the growth in the credit union was demanding more staff and better facilities for both staff and members. And of course we're looking at future growth and trying to find a strategic location where it would be convenient, easy access for members to get to us. Nowadays in the city, you have to consider crime, access to parking, so this location proved to be convenient in all of those areas."
But this location wasn't cheap, with the land costing 1.3 million dollars. However, after considering various factors, the board decided it was the ideal spot.
Alvan Haynes, President, BOD, St John's Credit Union
"It's 3 lots, L shaped, running from Buttonwood Bay to a back street on Coney Drive but it was suitable in size and we designed the building so that there's parking both at the front and in the back which helps. Of course with everybody driving nowadays we probably don't have enough parking but we'll get there. But essentially the thing was we literally did a study and looked for an appropriate location zoomed in on this one and we had to bite the bullet and pay the 1.3 million dollars. Now we're looking to get an extra lot just for parking and the price is even more than that."
And for the Caribbean Shores Area Rep, he says it's a welcomed addition to the constituency.
Kareem Musa, Caribbean Shores Area Rep
"It has not just survived, but it has thrived through very tough economic times over those 80 years. And so today is a proud moment, not just for the administration and staff, but for all its members, its 30,000 members, that it serves. And so I am here as the area representative for Caribbean Shores, because it certainly is a welcome addition to the landscape to our economic hub here. As you know, Coney Drive was built many years ago under the honorable Jose Coye, and he was area representative. And since then, it has truly become a thriving economic hub and district, so to speak. And so this credit union here is something certainly, that we welcome. And we are so proud of the staff and the administration for, deciding to place it in Caribbean shores."
The combined cost of the land, the building, and all that's inside is 14 million dollars.
