GreenChoice Bank Opens the Midwest’s First LEED Platinum Community Bank Location on Aug. 29
Flagship Address at Chicago’s Green Exchange Building
CHICAGO (Aug. 16, 2011) – GreenChoice Bank’s executive management team will open its flagship location in Chicago at the Green Exchange building, 2545 W. Diversey Ave., on Monday, Aug. 29. The bank is anticipated to be the first LEED Platinum community bank location in the Midwest, and one of only a few in the country.
The newly constructed location will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum standards for Commercial Interiors. The bank’s management team – half are LEED Accredited Professionals – has considerable experience when it comes to building sustainable structures and interiors.
In addition to making loans to qualified businesses that build sustainably, the team retrofitted GreenChoice Bank’s two, century-old branch locations to environmentally-sound standards for LEED® for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EB: O&M) certification. Those were dedicated earlier this year, launching the GreenChoice Bank brand in Cicero and Lockport, Ill.
GreenChoice Bank is one of the first tenants to move into Green Exchange. The four-story, 272,000-square-foot converted historic building marked by its iconic signature tower along Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway – will be the epicenter of businesses offering trade and consumer services to sustainably-minded clientele. The bank is located on the building’s northeast side, GreenChoice Bank’s entrance is along Diversey Avenue, just west of Maplewood.
“GreenChoice Bank’s Green Exchange location is yet another example of our commitment to, and expertise in, operating in green-built locations,” said Steve Sherman, LEED AP, GreenChoice Bank’s chief operating officer and director. “We believe in working in more sustainably-built buildings that are healthier places to do business, and that have a lower impact on the environment. Our track record shows that it can be done, regardless of whether you build a location from scratch or re-engineer an existing building. That gives us unique experience when understanding the challenges that other businesses and individuals may be going through to conduct business sustainably. ”
As part of its mission, GreenChoice Bank, a certified B Corporation, leverages funds on deposit to invest in the local and sustainable economy. Special checking and savings accounts with higher rates are designed for those actively embracing sustainability through their account activity. Advantaged terms are offered to commercial clients that manage green businesses, build sustainably and create green collar jobs.
The footprint of the bank’s new flagship facility is purposefully small, at only 3,800 square feet. Unique features resemble GreenChoice Bank’s existing branch location interiors.
These include reclaimed wood for key design elements of the space, re-used and repurposed materials, non-VOC paints, high-efficiency lighting, and locally-sourced recycled content materials in countertops, wall systems and flooring. Signage alerts customers to sustainable features throughout the bank.
Back-office operations conserve energy and reduce the bank’s environmental footprint through paperless processes, electronic document distribution, image-based check processing, online banking and e-statements. Debit cards are made from 100 percent recycled plastic. Employee policies encourage sustainable choices, from using public transportation and volunteering in the community to rewarding those who purchase hybrid or other Low Emission Fuel Efficient vehicles.
GreenChoice Bank is the first community bank of its kind in the Midwest, implementing core values designed to enhance the environmental, social and financial well-being of our communities and the planet. In addition to its flagship Chicago location, GreenChoice Bank’s branches are at 5225 W. 25th St. in Cicero, Ill., and 838 S. State St. in Lockport, Ill.
For more information about GreenChoice Bank, including online banking opportunities and incentives for consumers and businesses making sustainable choices, please visit www.greenchoicebank.com.
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Media Contact: Sue Markgraf, GreenMark Public Relations, 847-970-9160 office, 847-917-9654 mobile, smarkgraf@greenmarkpr.com
GreenChoice Bank is one of the only community banks in the country and the first in the Midwest that offers a values-based choice in banking to consumers and businesses. GreenChoice Bank implements core values that are designed to enhance the environmental, social and financial well-being of our communities and the planet. Conscious about more than your money, GreenChoice Bank marries sustainable business principles with a relationship-driven approach to provide financial products and services to individuals and businesses. GreenChoice Bank is located in Chicago at the Green Exchange building. Branch facilities are located in Cicero and Lockport, Ill. For information about GreenChoice Bank’s products and services, please visit www.greenchoicebank.com.
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