The Great Barrington, MA branch of Salisbury Bank was in need of a life-saving mission when Solidus arrived on site in spring, 2014. A former parcel mailing office, the building had to be jacked up while new support beams were installed to save it from total collapse. Despite this dramatic start to the project, we created a beautiful New England regional branch in the transitional style, with a variety of modern features.

Solidus jacked the building up and saved it from total collapse.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing; the town of Great Barrington didn’t particularly feel that there was a need for a new bank there. And to make things even more challenging, they’d implemented a rule that there would no drive-thru’s approved going forward.

A dialogue tower in the Great Barrington branch, in keeping with “autumn” brand colors.

The town was proud of its protracted land use approval process, too, which to many developers would be the point at which they looked elsewhere for their new branch location. This is where our sister company, Accubranch, stepped in. Using their expertise in this field, Accubranch took responsibility for the entire process and were able to obtain new branch office approval with a remote drive-thru in six months.

A consultation desk next to the dialogue tower. Small branch design done right, with style and substance.

Dialogue towers and cash recyclers played an important role in this branch’s transformation. We dramatically altered this building, from a dangerously neglected package warehouse into an ultramodern bank branch that exudes all the classic architectural style of the region.

We got this: Right down to the material, patterning and style of the furniture.

The dialogue tower was finished in a deep “Autumn” laminate that complemented the rich burgundy Salisbury branding. The back sides were finished in steel and laminate, with a super-efficient Glory cash recycler.

A view of the cash recycler in this dialogue tower. Recyclers are changing branch banking.

By succeeding both on the permitting piece of the project, as well as for the construction process itself, Accubranch and Solidus proved once again that an integrated approach can overcome obstacles that may seem insurmountable to companies that are set up to “go it alone”.

Our designers wanted to ensure this branch remained true to local Berkshire style, while being modernized.

It was very gratifying to complete this project, and to feel we’d contributed to the well-being of the local community by saving the old structure, and transforming it as a bank branch. Every project we finish we like to photograph and discuss with our visitors, and for obvious reasons this one is no exception!

Sleek window treatments and rich furniture, in a private office in this awesome example of small bank branch.