The temporary charter of New Haven’s community development bank-in-formation came closer to being permanent this week, thanks to parking.
On Wednesday night the City Plan Commission approved a special exception so that the institution, tentatively called the First Community Bank of New Haven, will have 23 slots, an adequate number of parking slots available for depositors behind its future headquarters at 299 Whalley Ave., at the intersection of Sherman Avenue.
Click here for a previous article on First City, the state’s second community development bank. It is designed to support city homeowners and businesses, and help address the foreclosure crisis.
Local architect Regina Winters, of Zared Architecture, is doing design work for the bank. She told the commissioners that the bank is leasing space at 299 Whalley from the landlord, Global Investor Corporation. She said a bank owning its own building is far more the norm.
In light of that, she added that, it was “important for finalization of the charter to have parking nailed down.”
A temporary charter was granted to the bank in mid-June by the State Department of Banking.
Winters said that the appearance of the 1950s building would not change on the exterior. Currently a small staff of three is at work for the bank at the Whalley-Sherman location. The bank also plans to open a branch on Grand Avenue in the commercial heart of Fair Haven.
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the parking plan.
Winters will be back before the commissioners for a site plan review. She said she expects the bank to receive its first parkers and customers in the spring of next year.