The $155 million Pioneer West Virginia Federal Credit Union has opened what it said is the first branch it has built from the ground up.

The new facility in Hurricane, W.Va., in Putnam County just west of Charleston, was designed to eliminate barriers, said Shannon Bradley, vice president of member experience at the 13,100-member Pioneer West Virginia.

“We really tried to eliminate any barriers with the design of our lobby. The goal was to keep the feeling very inviting to allow for more conversation and relationship building, a value that we feel sets us apart as a financial institution and is at the core of who we are as an organization,” Bradley said.

The Charleston-based credit union said the new branch, its sixth, represents an investment of more than $1.5 million and will help grow a membership base of more than 1,800 it already serves in Putnam County