The Spokane Catholic Credit Union is a new building constructed in an established residential neighborhood. Three sides of the site abut residential buildings. Across the street is a newer, single story brick commercial building. This new building is the first permanent structure for this organization and the owners wanted to make a statement about quality and stability, but had to accomplish this with a limited budget.

Because this building is a financial institution, the owners felt they could convey a sense of permanence and stability by using brick masonry. The previous location of the credit union was in a nondescript frame building several blocks away from this site. At this new location, they wanted to be more visible, but not dominate the existing residential neighborhood. The smaller scale and warmth of brick did both. By using brick as a primary material broken up into smaller sections of wall, and then breaking those brick areas down further with a variety of traditional course; running soldier course, headers, and rowlocks, and some recessed courses, a smaller scale was maintained. The pitched roof with composition shingles and a single story also fit the scale of the neighborhood.

Low maintenance requirements of the owners and the use of other fire resistive materials were other reasons brick was used. Brick and EIFS in combination with a wood frame structure were very cost effective combinations. They also wanted a building that wouldn’t look “dated” in a few years, so brick was chosen as a primary material.

The interior spaces use other stone products including granite at the teller lines and check writing counter, and a natural slate floor in the lobby areas. Suspended light fixtures in the customer areas permit the use of higher ceilings, and still provide good lighting levels.

The Credit Union wanted high visibility looking into the building and also looking to the outside for security reasons, so there are no large expanses of solid walls where visibility is important. They needed on site parking and drive-up teller windows, and by locating the building close to the intersecting streets, and placing the parking at the rear, it became a less intrusive commercial structure that blends into the neighborhood.

MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS
DIV 07: Shingles: Elk.
DIV 08: Aluminum Storefronts & Windows: U. S. Aluminum.
DIV 09: Carpet: Design Weave.
DIV 16: Interior Lighting: Daybrite, Capri; Exterior Lighting: Eclipse.