“We selected a parcel on the corner of Atlantic Blvd and Penman/Royal Palm Drive which had been the former site of a Texaco gas station,” says Patti Tantillo, Neptune Beach Branch Manager. “The new office will be a great addition to the community and will include a 3,400 square foot building, drive-up lanes and a drive-up ATM.”
Of course, building a branch from the ground up will take more than year. “Our hope was that we would be given at least 6 months notice should we be asked to vacate our existing space,” says Tantillo. “Ultimately, we were given only 2 months due to the possibility of Wal-Mart moving into the area. We’d been scouting out potential sites for a temporary home, and we’ve secured a space in the Publix Shopping Center which we plan to occupy July 5.”
From the temporary location, JAXFCU members and associates can literally watch the future of their Credit Union grow. “The temporary location gives us a bird’s-eye view of our new location under construction,” Tantillo added. “Having a stand-alone site that has the latest technology and is easily accessible to our members and the community is our ultimate goal, and soon it will be a reality.”
“Our biggest disappointment at this time is being required to remove our drive-up ATM behind the Blockbuster, which is well used by members and non-members in the Neptune Beach area,” she said. “JAXFCU members will be able to use the Publix Presto ATM at no charge, while they wait for our new drive-up ATM to be installed at our permanent facility. Our goal is to minimize the inconvenience to our members who are beach residents.”
The temporary location opens July 5, and the permanent branch is slated to open in late March 2007. |
