WATERTOWN — The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has approved Northern Credit Union’s application to convert its charter to conduct business to a New York State charter, effective Oct. 18. 

Prior to the conversion, Northern Credit Union operated as Northern Federal Credit Union, the DFS said in an Oct. 1 news release.

In addition to the charter conversion, Northern Credit Union announced it has broken ground on a new branch office in Adams.

Northern Credit Union currently serves about 30,000 members through seven locations across the North Country and through an online and mobile-banking program.

Charter conversion

With the charter conversion, the credit union will now be able to expand its community-based field of membership to serve people, businesses, and other legal entities in Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Clinton, Franklin, Onondaga, and Madison counties. 

Northern’s current field of membership includes Jefferson, Lewis and parts of St. Lawrence counties and the credit union has assets of $244 million.

“As the need for increased accessibility to financial options grows within our communities, so does our commitment to Northern and Central New York,” Dan St. Hilaire, president and CEO of Northern Credit Union, said in the DFS release. “Becoming a state-charted credit union and expanding our field of membership will enable the progression of our core mission of providing personalized service and banking solutions to enhance the financial well-being to a greater number of families and individuals. We look forward to a long-lasting, mutual value partnership with DFS, our communities, and members.”

New York currently has a total of 139 state-chartered commercial banks, savings banks and bank-holding companies; 15 state-chartered credit unions; 84 foreign branches; 10 foreign agencies; and 27 representative offices, with assets totaling more than $1.8 trillion.

Adams location

Northern Credit Union’s new building is located on County Route 178, just off Interstate 81. The credit union says it will provide “easier access” to southern Jefferson County members and those who frequently travel on I-81. 

The upcoming branch is replacing the existing office along Route 11 in Adams, Northern said in an email response to a CNYBJ inquiry. The credit union didn’t provide a cost figure for the project.

Northern Credit Union expects contractors to complete construction by late spring 2019.

GYMO Architecture, Engineering, & Land Surveying of Watertown is the site architect and engineer, and Hueber-Breuer Construction Co. Inc. of Syracuse is the general contractor on the project. 

The new branch will have a self-service area with two “personal tellers” with “ATM functionality.” The exterior will offer three drive-thru lanes including three “personal tellers” that members can also use as ATMs.

The branch interior will offer an automatic coin machine; two offices to connect members directly with lenders and advisors through secure video chat; a conference room that features the same technology; a children’s play area and refreshment zone; and a tablet-equipped waiting area. 

“We’re elated to make this significant investment for members in southern Jefferson and northern Oswego counties and hope they will enjoy their modern relationship center and convenient new location,” St. Hilaire said in a credit union news release.      

YORKVILLE — Construction workers have finished a remodeling project at the Yorkville branch office of Rome–based AmeriCU Credit Union. 

Plans for the project started in late 2017, and crews started working on the initiative at 4957 Commercial Drive earlier this year, says Nicholas Cray, VP of member relations and marketing, who spoke with CNYBJ on Oct. 22.

“We began in earnest in June and [continued] through the early part of September … We were able to remain open during that time,” he notes. AmeriCU didn’t provide a project cost total.

Rin-Buhr Construction Corporation of Utica was the general contractor for the project, says Cray.

AmeriCU opened its Yorkville location in 1999, and “it was due” for some improvement work. It was “still completely functional, but not as modern as we’d prefer. That precipitated the project,” says Cray.

He described the remodeling effort as “fairly extensive,” noting that involved removing cubicles, putting in new offices, and adding new paint and wallpaper. “Really just a complete facelift,” he says.

Cray also notes that AmeriCU members visiting the branch will see that the credit union has replaced all print posters with digital screens following the project. 

The Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 17 held a formal opening to acknowledge the remodeling project. 

“This remodel has brought a new look and feel to our Financial Center after being here for almost 20 years,” Ellen Traub, manager of the Commercial Drive financial center, said in the chamber’s news release. “The new offices allow us to offer our members a more professional, private experience and our waiting area is much more open and inviting.”

The Yorkville branch has 26 employees, says Cray.

AmeriCU refers to its branches as “financial centers.” When asked about why they’re described as such, Cray says the branches offer a “wide variety of other services.”

“Through some subsidiaries, we offer insurance, investment, retirement planning, capital management … those types of things that are not traditionally associated with a bank branch,” he explains.

The nonprofit AmeriCU has more than 130,000 members and nearly $1.5 billion in assets. It operates 19 full-service financial centers in Central and Northern New York.