Glacier Bank finally opens its doors

By ALEX STRICKLAND - Bigfork Eagle

After months of sitting empty, the new Glacier Bank opened its doors Monday, Sept. 10.

The new facility is only a few hundred yards down the road from Glacier Bank's old home, but miles away in style and amenities, according to Branch Manager Susan Williams.

"A bigger building gives us a bigger presence in Bigfork," Williams said. "It's a huge part of Glacier Bank to be here."

The new facility measures 7,200 sq. ft., almost triple the old building's 2,400 sq. ft. That space allows for a well-appointed lobby, added office space and increased security. Also new is an additional drive-through lane and room for more should the need arise.

And while the new building is a far cry from the old facility, Williams said that the people and service that customers are accustomed to hasn't changed.

"We have the same friendly faces that our customers have been dealing with for years," she said.

The staff has remained identical through the move except for the addition of a new mortgage lender, Williams said.

The facility was slated to be finished in March but the permit process required for connecting utility service was hung up in bureaucracy.

The land belongs to Bigfork businessman Joe Pastor and his wife Patti, who sold Glacier bank a percentage of the 18-acre plot adjacent to Highway 35. Because the land was not split into smaller lots, it was subject to permitting for a minor subdivision, which included five seperate permits, according to Pastor's general manager Ron Brevik.

"You have to have all the permits before you can turn a shovel of dirt," Brevik said.

Because the permits only affect utility hookups, Pastor and Glacier Bank decided to press ahead with construction of the bank building in hopes that it would parallel the permitting process, Brevik said.

"With the growth of the valley and the state, everyone's desk had a lot of paper on it," he said.

What resulted was a delay in the Department of Environmental Quality permit until July 11. Since then, Brevik said, Pastor has funded construction on holidays and weekends to get Glacier Bank up and running as quickly as possible.

The only thing left to tidy up is the curb and gutter work on the last bit of drive next to the bank, which Brevik and Williams said should be finished up by month's end.

The land adjacent to the new building is being divided into four more lots, three of which are comparable to the one Glacier Bank is on, which will go on the market soon. The last lot is 14 acres and will be mixed use for what Brevik called Stage Ridge Village - a planned development that would feature a variety of enterprises and accomodation. Brevik said that among other ideas being tossed around, a movie theater, youth recreation center and senior housing have all been suggested.

"Joe has a great vision," Brevik said.