MORENO VALLEY, Calif. — The transformation of the Moreno Valleyarea has seen more than a 26% rise in population between 1990 and2003. With a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau report listing it as havingthe sixth fastest growth rate among large cities, Visterra CreditUnion's original branch and headquarters, built in 1970, strainedto handle the increasing business.

To serve its more than 39,000 members Visterra, with the help ofBrandPartners, a provider of differentiated retail environments,erected a new $15 million, 17,000 square-foot branch andheadquarters on 7.5 acres of land.

The branch entryway features a highly visible glass tower thatis reminiscent of a flight tower. The credit union was founded 53years ago as March Air Force Base Federal Credit Union to serve thelarge military population then in place at the local installation.A bridge-like structure with an exposed girder truss leads membersto a greeter station and the main building.

The exterior was designed to resemble a retail store with a30-foot-long window. The interior carries through the retail feelwith boutique-like environments along a granite-paved main streetlined with streetlights.

“We talked about how to make this branch a pleasant experiencewhile keeping an openness and warmth,” said Charlie Hale, vicepresident of marketing at Visterra. “We tried to take out thatwarehouse environment and make it much more personalized.”

Among that personalization is a kid's zone complete with a playarea and age-appropriate financial education information.Interactive kiosk pods were constructed with a go-cart design wheremembers can sit and access the Internet.

“In California, everyone is enamored with their automobile,”Hale said. “People like doing business from their cars. Whileothers were closing drive-thru lanes, we saw a need to increase notonly the tube-type access to a teller but also drive-up ATMs. Wehad one [ATM] at the time that was over-taxed at certain times ofthe week. What was built as an adjunct to the 17,000-square footretail building was an expansion of the number of drive-thru lanes[from four to eight] and we added two more ATMs.”

The automobile experience was showcased inside as well. Toemphasize the CUs auto loan business, the interior features a sidestreet leading to lines of business and a showcase zone, a circulararea with a stage and curtain for displaying automobiles, RVs,motorcycles, and boats. A glass garage door allows for easy entryfor display vehicles. On used car theme days, as many as eight carscan be lined up for display under an arbor in front of the garagedoor and extending into the branch. Several walls, which were builtas millwork fixtures, serve as 3-dimensional facades.

“We were trying to create a consistent brand and feel throughoutthe space,” explained Courtney Grover, executive vice president,managing director, design/build services at BrandPartners. “It's anextremely large branch but we wanted to create more intimate spaceswithin that 17,000 square feet. Those spaces can often talk aboutspecific services that the credit union offers its members. Bydefining those spaces you're also defining the products andservices.”

It's also important to make the transaction portion of amember's visit as easy and accessible as possible. You want to getthe member that is coming in to cash a paycheck and remove anyobstacles–get them through the space quickly and easily, Groversaid.

“A lot of people think of the grocery store philosophy ofputting the milk in the back in hopes that people will buy more ontheir way back to get that milk,” Grover added. “We want the memberto know and experience what can be done for them but at the sametime we're not going to put any obstacles in front of them. If youwant milk, we're not going to make you jump through hoops to getit.”

With the new branch open for business, Visterra is putting thefinishing touches on renovations to its adjacent headquarters. The25,000 square-foot administrative building will incorporate thebrand architecture that is featured in its new branch.

“Our members are very, very happy,” said Visterra's Hale. “I'mexcited about the new community room that we can use for seminars.We added on to the employee lounge at the branch so that at nightit can be accessible to the community. From a marketingperspective, I'm anxious to start those seminars and offer anotherservice to the membership.” –[email protected]