Credit Unions Plan New Branches in Texas & California
Construction has begun on branches to open near Dallas and Santa Cruz in mid-2025.
Credit unions near Dallas and Santa Cruz, Calif., announced plans Tuesday to open new branches next year.
Bay Federal Credit Union of Santa Cruz, Calif. ($1.6 billion in assets, 90,095 members) said it will open a new branch by June 2025 at the Promenade at the Dunes in Marina, 30 miles south of Santa Cruz and 10 miles north of Monterey on California’s Monterey Bay.
The 1,750-square-foot branch will be the credit union’s eighth branch, “marking an important expansion into the growing and vibrant Marina community,” its news release said. The Promenade at the Dunes is a hub that includes a mix of residential, retail and entertainment spaces.
NCUA data showed Bay Federal had seven branches on June 30, unchanged from a year earlier.
Texas Trust Credit Union of Arlington ($2 billion in assets, 135,106 members) broke ground for a 2,500-square-foot facility that it hopes to open next summer in Mansfield, 13 miles south of Arlington between Dallas and Fort Worth.
The full-service branch is designed with an open concept that its news release said “allows for more comfortable and relaxed conversations about members’ financial matters, along with concierge-style services tailored to member needs.”
The branch will be staffed with universal tellers, who can accommodate members with traditional transactions, as well as help them with more complex financial concerns. Members will be able to get help from any staff member without having to wait for a specialized employee.
The news release cited a 2023 Accenture consumer banking survey that found two-thirds of consumers view bank or credit union branches as a sign of stability and availability. Although consumers complete routine financial transactions online every day, when it comes to complex financial problems, most people prefer to go to a branch to resolve specific issues.
“The purpose of our branches today is to be a beacon of stability and trust for our members,” President/CEO Jim Minge said. “We’ve designed this branch to erase physical barriers and promote trust.”
“We build our business one relationship at a time and often those relationships are built face to face,” Minge said.
The building will reflect traditional Texas materials with a modern form: Austin cream limestone, weathered vintage wood and stucco.
“The interior will feature warm, welcoming wood tones in the light-filled lobby, accented with the Texas Trust signature blue brand color,” the news release said. “A welcoming ‘front porch’ will shade the walkways and the entry, and an exterior seating area will highlight a Texas star sculpture, all surrounded with planted terraces.”
NCUA data showed Texas Trust had 21 branches on June 30, unchanged from a year earlier.
In other branch news:
- Blaze Credit Union based near Saint Paul, Minn. ($4.2 billion in assets, 249,267 members) announced Thursday it has opened a new branch in Plymouth, 21 miles west of St. Paul. The branch is the credit union’s 28th in the state and follows its July opening of a branch in Stillwater, five miles northwest of downtown Saint Paul.
- TruNorth Federal Credit Union of Ishpeming, Mich. ($210.3 million in assets, 16,109 members) held a grand opening Monday for its new branch in Marquette, Mich., 15 miles east of Ishpeming on Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula. NCUA data showed TruNorth had three locations on June 30, one less than a year earlier.
- Solarity Credit Union of Yakima, Wash. ($823.1 million in assets, 50,015 members) held a grand opening Monday for its new branch in Wenatchee, about 100 miles north of Yakima in the central part of the state. NCUA data showed Solarity had seven branches on June 30, one more than a year earlier and one more than March 31.
- Georgia United Credit Union of Duluth, Ga. ($2.2 billion in assets, 148,253 members) opened a 3,000-square-foot branch it built in Cumming, replacing a branch two miles away. Duluth is 28 miles northeast of Atlanta’s Five Points, and Cumming is 18 miles north of Duluth.
Georgia United has trained tellers to become member consultants, who use shareable screens to sit down with members at dedicated service spots to provide personalized advice and product recommendations.
“Our team members are no longer confined by teller counters,” SVP of Member Experience Steve Swanson said. “By transforming them into member consultants, we’ve empowered them to have more meaningful, one-on-one conversations with members.”
NCUA data showed Georgia United had 15 branches on June 30, one more than a year earlier.