Valley Green Bank’s dramatic transformation takes Best Overall Design at ‘Storefront Challenge’
The South Philadelphia branch of Valley Green Bank opened last June and instantly rejuvenated the corner of Broad and Tasker St. with bright colors and welcoming windows.
Last week, Valley Green Bank and Metcalfe Architecture & Design took home the honor of “Best Overall Design” in the 2014 Storefront Challenge from The City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative. Not too shabby when you recall what it replaced.
The design was lead by Metcalfe Architecture & Design (MA&D), who looked to replace the hard, unwelcoming surfaces at 1536 S. Broad St. with bright colors, large windows and lush planters. Alan Metcalfe, Principal at MA&D, said in a press release, “The storefront design was easy for us to reflect Valley Green Bank’s image of an open and friendly community bank in the form of glass, lighting, and color.”
The open design speaks to the bank’s focus on community. Since its opening in June of 2013, Valley Green Bank has $50 million in deposits and has made more than $50 million in loans to small businesses throughout the South Philadelphia community, according to a press release.
Here’s what PlanPhilly had to say:
Valley Green Bank was honored for its work on the facade of its South Broad Street building, revamping a bland 1960s bank with color, light and a bold sign. It’s one way that the bank is also acting on its mission to provide loans for local and small businesses, and in so doing improving commercial corridors across the city.
Robert Brand and Associates on E. Passyunk Ave. took home the “Honor the Past” award in the Storefront Challenge. Brand’s is more of a blast from the past, as the facade at 1716 E. Passyunk Ave. was renovated to highlight the gorgeous curved display windows and even features rotating art displays. John Snyder of the Commerce Department called the boutique-like law office an “endangered species” type of storefront, according to PlanPhilly.
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Well deserved! The Valley Green Bank facelift was very well done and a bright spot on an otherwise somewhat depressing intersection (which is a pretty major intersection at that!) If only some of that design magic could be worked on the PGW building on the SE corner.
As for “endangered” storefronts, that might be true citywide but East Passyunk Avenue has several examples, most put to very good use, of this type of storefront. Hopefully as buildings change hands over the years, the owners will preserve these cool display windows and the tenants will use them well.