The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Bank brings new life to HQ
MIDDLETOWN — Hailing it as “another milestone” in its rich history, Liberty Bank formally dedicated its new headquarters Friday.
The 90,000-square-foot building, at 245 Long Hill Road, is the former Xerox and “My Weekly Reader” building.
More than 170 banking executives, members of the board of directors, local elected officials and bank employees joined for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place hours after a cadre of workers had left the site after applying finishing touches.
Until now, Liberty’s headquarters have been spread out
in four buildings elsewhere in the city.
Now, everyone will be together in one space.
Some 300 bank employees will work in the three-story structure, according to Anne Helbling Crafa, the bank’s corporate communications officer.
The building is set on a hillside on the 23-acre rural campus, and it glistened in the morning sunlight that bathed the area Friday.
As pleased as company officials were with their new home, Middletown officials were even more delighted Liberty has chosen to remain in the city.
“Middletown has been our home for almost 200 years,” Mark Gingras, chairman of Liberty’s board of directors, told an audience assembled under a white tent adjacent to the entrance to the headquarters.
Gesturing at the building behind him, Gingras continued, “This is a statement that reinforces our commitment to Middletown, to the state of Connecticut, and to all the communities where we do business.”
Three years ago, Liberty set out to consolidate its offices and acquire new headquarters.
That led them to the Xerox building and a long — 22 months — and complicated acquisition, bank president and CEO Chandler Howard said.
The “animals and critters” were evicted and a team led by FIP Contractors set about remaking the building, a process that took 13 months.
The contractors and subs did “an unbelievable job,” Gingras said.
The result “is nothing short of astounding.”
Howard concurred.
“This is a facility unlike any you will see anywhere in the state of Connecticut,” Howard said.
State Sen. Len Suzio, R-Meriden, and state Rep. Joseph Serra, DMiddletown, presented Howard with a proclamation from the General Assembly congratulating the bank.
Serra recalled opening a savings account in the Middletown Savings Bank when he was 6. He said he was “very proud that Liberty Bank has made a commitment to stay here in Middletown.”
Serra also said what he remembers most from about becoming a bank customer was “the Skippy cup with ice cream we used to get.”
“To the staff and the board of Liberty Bank, welcome home!” Mayor Daniel Drew said.
“This is a great day for Liberty Bank,” said Larry McHugh, president of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce. “But, more importantly, it’s a great day for the city of Middletown, for Middlesex County, and for the state of Connecticut.”
Turning to the board of directors, McHugh said, “I had the great honor to serve on the board.”
“This is a facility unlike any you will see anywhere in the state of Connecticut.” Chandler Howard, president and CEO, Liberty Bank
“There is no board in the state of Connecticut that is more dedicated to excellence than this board,” he said.
“These are the best people in the country,” McHugh continued, adding, “We are blessed to have Chandler Howard as their leader.”
Two weeks ago, McHugh was on hand as Fed Ex dedicated its new 600,000-square-foot facility in Middletown. “To say I am proud is an understatement,” he said of the new bank headquarters.
Whenever the bank has a significant event, Howard said it marks it by making a contribution to the community.
He then presented grants to the St. Vincent DePaul outreach program, the Chamber’s Hal Kaplan Mentor program, to the Gilead Community Service housing program and to the Russell Library. .
And then, as the Middletown Police Drum and Bagpipe band filled the air with festive music, a bright red ribbon was cut, and Liberty officials ushered their guests into its new home.