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We’re proud to present our newest branch, now open at the Grand Central shopping center in Vancouver just off Highway 14. This branch is making history as the first financial building constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards in Vancouver, resulting in a healthy, comfortable and inviting place to relax and do business!
Grand Central is the new home to the staff and members from our former Heights branch, which is now closed. Branch manager Trish Robison and her team are eager to welcome members – new and old – into the branch. When you visit, make sure to take a self-guided eco-tour to learn about our sustainable features, like rainwater harvesting, a pyramid-shaped skylight and furniture made from recycled materials.
We’ve also added safe deposit boxes, a self-service coin counter and room to visit privately with Wealth Management, Business Loan and Home Loan professionals. And you can’t beat the location – right next door to Fred Meyer. You’ll love the convenience, and you’ll love saving gas when you can make a single trip for all your errands.
Visit the branch today at 108 Grand Blvd.!
» Green building features
» Construction photo gallery
Branch Updates
5/23/2008 - Grand Central gears up for opening.
Every day we get closer to our June 2 opening at Grand Central. Members will love the new convenient location, right next to Fred Meyer, along with safe deposit boxes, more room to spread out and a healthy environment.
With a drive-through and easy access to Fred Meyer, members will love stopping by this Columbia branch as they run errands.
Our rainwater cistern helps us harvest one of our most abundant natural resources in the Northwest. Collecting and using rainwater will help us save about 13,500 gallons of water each year – that’s enough to supply a day’s worth of drinking water to 27,000 people!
In the center of our branch, a pyramid-shaped skylight floods the building with natural light. This unique feature will reduce our electricity use and boost the moods of our staff and members!
04/28/2008 – Grand Central to open June 2
Much progress has been made on the inside of our Grand Central branch. Our greeter’s station has been installed and is nearly ready to welcome members into our newest branch. Watch for our opening June 2, at the convenient Grand Central shopping center!
Our Columbia Credit Union sign is up on the branch. An external heater helps dry the walls on the inside of the building without running (and possibly contaminating) the HVAC system.
These beautiful wood floors at the branch entry were made from Brazilian Cherry, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for sustainable harvesting.
The greeter’s station contains panels made from the leftover stalks of Sorghum, a food crop. Other parts were made from wood industry waste and recycled wood fibers.
04/14/2008 – Skylight and Montana Moss stone added to branch
We’re progressing at a nice, quick pace on our branch at Grand Central. Using our newly finished Washougal branch as a prototype, crews have added an omni-directional skylight and Montana Moss stone to Grand Central. The branch is due to open after Memorial Day weekend.
Our Grand Central branch will offer a convenient drive-through for members who need to make quick transactions on their way home from work or while running errands at the shopping center. At the top of the branch, you can also see a pyramid-shaped skylight that reduces our need for electricity.
At the entry, red brick meets a beautiful display of Montana stone.
Crews take care to separate scrap building materials, including metal, concrete and wood. These materials will be sent to certified recyclers, meeting a strict LEED standard for recycling.
03/20/2008 – Walls and roofing up at Grand Central
Construction crews have really been moving at our Grand Central branch! The walls and roofing are up,
and much of the exterior brick has been laid. An omni-directional skylight will light up the branch and reduce our need for electricity.
Much of the brick on the exterior of the branch is done. The style will match the overall design of the Grand Central shopping center.
Already, some of the steel studs and the roofing are up! Once the building is sealed off, construction crews must maintain strict standards for indoor air quality.
An omni-directional skylight will shower staff and members with natural sunlight, reducing the need for electricity. This unique skylight became part of our green branch prototype because it helps bring in natural light no matter what direction the branch faces.
02/28/2008 – Foundation poured at Grand Central
Already, the foundation is poured and the walls are nearly up on our Grand Central branch. Crews, who have been enjoying exceptional weather, are using sustainable lumber to construct the walls on the ground. They will later be raised and secured onto the foundation.
This yellow vapor barrier keeps moisture in the soil from seeping into the concrete that will be poured above.
A foundation is poured on top of the vapor barrier and insulation. Now, construction crews can really take advantage of the sunshine and raise the walls on the branch!
The sustainable lumber used in construction was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This ensures the wood was harvested in a way that protects the environment.
02/22/2008 –Grand Central greenbreaking
Columbia Credit Union and local leaders commemorated the construction site for our new Grand Central branch on Feb. 22. The branch will be Vancouver’s first LEED-certified financial institution, so instead of a traditional groundbreaking, we planted a native tree to represent our “greenbreaking.”
02/08/2008 – Breaking ground on Grand Central
Last week, we began construction on our latest branch at the new Grand Central shopping center. This convenient location is at the old Jantzen Mill site on SR14, and we’re pleased to report that this will be our second LEED-certified branch (the first is under construction in Washougal)!
An excavator begins digging out the foundation for our Grand Central branch. The construction site is well-contained to prevent runoff from polluting the local streams and rivers.
Crews dig trenches and lay the pipe work. The vertical pipe shown here will pull water from the rain cistern to be pumped into the toilets (to the left). |
