LISA FERNANDEZ/the REGISTERFrom left, Rhonda Rowe, assistant branch manager; Loretta Cooley, assistant vice president; and Theresa Melling, vice president, stand in front of the MetaBank at 35th Street and Ingersoll Avenue.
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Construction along Ingersoll Avenue in front of the Dahl's grocery store reached a milestone when the first of three buildings was completed.
MetaBank began operating last week out of its new facility at 3455 Ingersoll Ave., at the corner of Ingersoll and 35th Street.
Dahl's purchased the bank's former building on the east side of the lot, at 34th Street and Ingersoll Avenue, and razed it to make room for a new convenience store with a gas station and carwash, which are expected to be completed in April.
MetaBank began operating last week out of its new facility at 3455 Ingersoll Ave., at the corner of Ingersoll and 35th Street.
Dahl's purchased the bank's former building on the east side of the lot, at 34th Street and Ingersoll Avenue, and razed it to make room for a new convenience store with a gas station and carwash, which are expected to be completed in April.
The work began in October and is being done by Larson & Larson Construction. The city shows the cost of the buildings and gas canopy at about $859,000.
"Both MetaBank and Dahl's wanted to make improvements," said Troy Moore, MetaBank executive vice president. "Our building was old and needed repairs. We sold the building to Dahl's with the agreement that Dahl's would build a new building for us on the other corner and we will be a tenant there."
"Both MetaBank and Dahl's wanted to make improvements," said Troy Moore, MetaBank executive vice president. "Our building was old and needed repairs. We sold the building to Dahl's with the agreement that Dahl's would build a new building for us on the other corner and we will be a tenant there."
Moore said the bank's old white and blue building was purchased in 2001 from Wells Fargo. Before that it was a branch for Norwest and Brenton banks.
After selling its building, MetaBank operated with a full staff of three to four people from a trailer in the Dahl's parking lot. It included drive-up, walk-in and ATM capabilities.
"Operating out of a temporary trailer is not the easiest, but it served its purpose for several months," Moore said.
After selling its building, MetaBank operated with a full staff of three to four people from a trailer in the Dahl's parking lot. It included drive-up, walk-in and ATM capabilities.
"Operating out of a temporary trailer is not the easiest, but it served its purpose for several months," Moore said.
The new bank building, about 1,600 square feet, has two drive-up windows and is a full-service walk-in branch. Its brick matches that of the grocery store.
The original building at 3401 Ingersoll Ave. was approximately 5,000 square feet.
"Our building is smaller, but it is much nicer and much more efficient," Moore said. "It fits into the Ingersoll corridor and with Dahl's design. This is something that's good for the community as well as the bank and our customers. This is definitely an upgrade."
The original building at 3401 Ingersoll Ave. was approximately 5,000 square feet.
"Our building is smaller, but it is much nicer and much more efficient," Moore said. "It fits into the Ingersoll corridor and with Dahl's design. This is something that's good for the community as well as the bank and our customers. This is definitely an upgrade."
The convenience store, which will be about 4,600 square feet, also is being constructed of brick to match the other buildings on the block. The carwash will be 1,300 square feet and will sit apart from the store.
It will have one drive-through bay with touchless sprayers. It will be oriented so drivers pull in from the east and exit to the west.
A canopy will cover six fuel dispensers that will have regular, E85, E15 and diesel gasoline, said Dahl's CEO David Sinwell.
It will have one drive-through bay with touchless sprayers. It will be oriented so drivers pull in from the east and exit to the west.
A canopy will cover six fuel dispensers that will have regular, E85, E15 and diesel gasoline, said Dahl's CEO David Sinwell.
The convenience store will have groceries, a pizza kitchen and other hot foods, Sinwell said.
Moore said MetaBank's new location should be more convenient and provide easier access for individual and business customers the bank serves. It is one of six metro area locations for MetaBank.
The construction has been a sore point for several area residents along 34th Street who objected to the relocation of the bank, worry about additional traffic issues and have concerns about the gas station, convenience store and carwash devaluing their properties.
Moore said MetaBank's new location should be more convenient and provide easier access for individual and business customers the bank serves. It is one of six metro area locations for MetaBank.
The construction has been a sore point for several area residents along 34th Street who objected to the relocation of the bank, worry about additional traffic issues and have concerns about the gas station, convenience store and carwash devaluing their properties.
"It may be better once the construction is completed, because the semis will go away," said Trina Braafhart, who lives at 3317 Woodland Ave., north of Dahl's. "But we already deal with Dahl's and their delivery trucks at 2 a.m."
Braafhart, who with her husband, Matt, is on the North of Grand Neighborhood Association board, said having a gas station on that block was a "good plan for the neighborhood," but the association preferred that it be built along 35th Street and that the bank should have remained in the area it was originally, along 34th Street.
Braafhart, who with her husband, Matt, is on the North of Grand Neighborhood Association board, said having a gas station on that block was a "good plan for the neighborhood," but the association preferred that it be built along 35th Street and that the bank should have remained in the area it was originally, along 34th Street.
Braafhart said she is concerned that cars parked along 34th Street by tenants of an apartment building on the corner at Ingersoll Avenue will hamper traffic on the street after the gas station and convenience store are completed.
"I'm apprehensive that it's going to be messy and congested, because we see that now," she said.
"I'm apprehensive that it's going to be messy and congested, because we see that now," she said.
