St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate (CNR)

News, February 27, 2009 | 02/26/2009

Kwame Building Group Completes 1st Financial

Kwame Building Group (KWAME) of St. Louis has completed work as construction manager and owner representative on new corporate headquarters and branch for 1st Financial Federal Credit Union, in Wentzville.
 
The 23,000-square-foot two-story building features an atrium lobby with a children’s corner, an employee break room/kitchen, a patio balcony overlooking the main entrance and a large training room for community seminars. Branch features include five walk-up teller stations, four drive-through lanes and a drive-up ATM. The new building serves as corporate headquarters for the credit union’s executive staff, accounting, collections, marketing, business services, human resources and compliance departments.
 
“We were pleased to manage this construction project, the first new structure that 1st Financial has built in 20 years,” said Dave Sampl, vice president operations for Kwame Building Group. “We delivered the project on-budget despite rising costs for construction materials.” KWAME recommended cost-efficient alternatives such as an ArcuStone decorative limestone coating for the building exterior and concrete instead of asphalt for the parking lot.
 
1st Financial Federal Credit Union is a full service financial institution with locations in St. Louis, St. Charles, Hazelwood, and Wentzville. The architect for the project was Tri Architects and the general contractor was United Construction, both of St. Louis.