By Virginia Dean, Standard Correspondent
A project to move the Mascoma Savings Bank from its current location at 448 Woodstock Road to across the street at 429 Woodstock Road is nearing fruition, according to town Planning and Zoning Officer Michael Brands.
Approval is contingent upon the submission of a Site Plan and Conditional Use local permit, Brands noted.
“They just need to go through the permit process this month and hopefully be relocated by next year,” Brands said.
The plan involves the design of a new two-story building with partial basement and partial second floor. The existing building (which once housed the drive-through TD Bank) will be demolished.
“We’re excited about the move pending all the town approvals,” said Mascoma Savings Bank CEO Clay Adams. “It will help us to serve the Woodstock community long into the future and allow us to consolidate our two locations — the loan office in Taftsville with the current branch in Woodstock — into one to allow one-stop shopping.”
The new building will be 1,960 square feet on the first floor, 1,000 square feet on the second floor, and with a 1,092-square-foot basement — for a total of 4,052 square feet.
Minimal hardscape improvements will be made to improve vehicular and pedestrian circulation. An ATM will be added to the rear with a separate exit lane and curbed island. Handicap parking on the north elevation will be improved with compliant aisle. Parking space area (5-12) will be restriped.
Proposed additional landscaping and grass areas will also be improved by adding planting features to improve the overall screening.
The owners project that the daily and peak traffic uses will be similar to the previous bank, resulting in negligible traffic increase.
In addition, the exit (south end) drive will be improved to allow for two turning lanes with added curbing and walkway striping to provide for improved traffic circulation and safety between the lot and Route 4.
The north end access drive will not be modified.
According to the site development plans prepared by Engineering Ventures and Building Elevations with Architect David Laurin, the bank has averaged 2,695 transactions per month over the last year in the current location.
The new building will not impact any existing or planned community facilities, the report states. Its design will exceed the 2015 Vermont Energy Code Standards in an effort to make the building as close to zero net energy as practicable.
The site orientation is not ideal for solar panel use, but the owners are exploring alternate energy solutions.
Brands indicated that the Design Review Board & Development Review Board is slated to make its decision on the impending project within a month.
Adams said Mascoma has 26 branches throughout Vermont and New Hampshire.
This article first appeared in the May 4, 2017 edition of the Vermont Standard.
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Mascoma Plans Larger Woodstock Location
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