A large sign located between two automobile dealerships on the Hogan Road in Bangor indicates the entrance to the new office of the Bangor Federal Credit Union.

The location is apt, since the BFCU finances many automobile loans for its members. In fact, the odds are excellent that a member will soon stop at 339 Hogan Road, obtain an auto loan, and then walk next door to buy a new or used car.

According to Stephen K. Clark, the BFCU manager, the new facility has been designed with convenience in mind, for both members and employees. And, by the way, the design also took the environment into consideration.

The Bangor Federal Credit Union opened its new facility on Monday, May 8, to provide better access to its members and to ease overcrowding at its former main office at 74 Harlow St. At least 30 percent of the credit union’s members either work or live on the East Side of Bangor or in Veazie. The new office is only a short drive from their homes or employers.

“We’ve needed a new office on the East Side for some time,” Clark stated. “Simple growth had determined that; we were just too busy, too crowded at our downtown location.”

After the Bangor Federal Credit Union acquired the 9-acre site about 17 months ago, WBRC Architect/Engineers designed the new building, its parking lot, and access road. The property has limited frontage on the Hogan Road; to make the site “work,” architect Doug Whitney designed a two-lane road that bridged the Penjajawoc Stream, which drains the region surrounding the Bangor Mall, to reach the greater acreage away from the road.

“There were environmental issues right up front,” Clark said. About four acres adjacent to the stream were classified as wetlands, so “we could not touch them,” he noted. “That left us with 5 acres we could use.”

The access road bridges the stream and runs past the delineated wetlands to a parking lot adjacent to the credit union. There are additional parking spaces by the main entrance — and another parking lot behind the building, which the access road encircles to reach the two drive-through lanes.

Silt fences protected the stream from construction siltation. The wetlands effectively pushed the building’s final location away from the Penjajawoc, and the natural vegetation that was left untouched on the wetlands affords “a very natural look, which will be complemented by the landscaping,” Clark said.

A drainage-control system prevents stormwater runoff from quickly reaching the stream. Natural vegetation disrupted during the bridge construction will be restored.

The 10,000-square-foot building has a main floor and a daylight basement. The Bangor Federal Credit Union occupies 6,800 square feet, leaving sufficient room for future growth.

On the main floor are located:

The five walk-in teller stations, set across the lobby from the main entrance. One station is fully handicap-accessible, and the building complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act;

Private offices for the loan officers and other BFCU personnel;

Conference rooms;

An employees’ lounge.

Based in the daylight basement are the tellers’ stations for the two drive-through lanes. According to Clark, designers consciously placed these stations at a different level “so the tellers at the various windows wouldn’t have to listen to each other. There’s much less distraction than you would notice in a place where the drive-through and lobby are right next to each other.”

The lobby and teller stations form the focal point on the main floor, with the offices and conference facilities moved to the exterior walls. Each room overlooks area businesses or the surrounding fields and woods.

Doug Whitney liberally placed windows throughout the main floor, especially in the lobby, allowing natural light to penetrate the building’s interior. The wood-accentuated interior dissembles this light, brightening the surroundings.

Until the employees assigned to the new facility moved there, “we really didn’t appreciate what we were coming to,” Clark said. “We were used to our surroundings downtown, where we were pretty crowded.”

Clark recalled occasions when the noise level would be so distracting at the downtown office, an employee and BFCU member would raise their voices to hear each other. “The biggest thing we lacked (downtown) was privacy; that’s one thing we determined we would have at Hogan Road for our members,” he stated.

Construction prevented most BFCU employees from touring their new office. When they started moving to it, “the staff was ecstatic,” Clark said. “We could not readily imagine how much space we were getting.

“This has been part of an ongoing discussion and dream for those of us who have been (working) here for years,” he said. And “it’s been great not only for us, but for the employees who remain downtown. They have more space, and they’re excited about that.”

What about member response? “Excellent,” Clark responded. “Members are still finding their way out here, but every day, members come in who haven’t been here yet. They’re excited about the facility.”