Financial
Shoreview, MN

Over the years, City & County Credit Union (CCCU) set out to evolve their services to better meet the needs of their members with a more personal and innovative approach to banking. The process started by determining if the site they secured years earlier in Shoreview, MN was still a financially sound business decision. After extensive market research, NewGround found that Shoreview remained a great location to target a younger, tech-savvy crowd. To appeal to that market, the building needed to stand out and function differently than other CCCU locations.

NewGround capitalized on the unique exterior design with vibrant color and lighting, illuminating the building at night with CCCU’s unique pink lighting—attracting members and adding subtle beauty to its surroundings. The branch was designed for relaxation, private one-on-one consultation sessions, and areas for each universal employee to step “off stage” and complete work in privacy.

Smart, member-friendly technology was integrated into the design, including a personal device bar to introduce and familiarize members with mobile and tablet banking services. The 3,300 square foot branch is now operated by a team of just four universal employees, and quickly became CCCU’s top-performing branch by attaining the top rank in the number of gross loans, checking accounts, and balance transfers per full-time employee. This is a true testament that efficiencies and growth can be realized by a well thought-out design rooted in understanding the trends and psychographics of markets.

Due to the success of the Shoreview branch, CCCU leadership knew it was time to strategically transform their system of branches using the Shoreview design as a prototype. The NewGround strategy team counseled CCCU on which communities would best be served by the credit union, along with where to purchase land. Ultimately, NewGround helped aid some of the land acquisition. One of those land purchases was in a new commercial development site in Woodbury, MN, which is in a growing and affluent community southwest of St. Paul. The look, feel, and functionality of the branch is consistent with the Shoreview branch, but the exterior was modified to meet the aesthetic requirements of the commercial developer.

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