MERRILLVILLE | From the steel and glass curved façade to its iconic crownlike top, the new five-story Centier Centre makes a statement, Centier Bank President/CEO Michael E. Schrage said.
"This is the centerpiece of our future footprint in North-Northwest Indiana," Schrage said Thursday during a press conference and media tour of the bank's new corporate headquarters which opens today. "We are making a statement of a pledge of independence in banking in Northwest Indiana."
Centier is one of the few independent, family-owned banks left in Northwest Indiana. Its Not For Sale logo stresses that commitment to independence, Schrage said of the institution founded in Whiting by his great-grandfather, Henry Schrage, in 1895.
"This building is a very recognizable and tangible commitment from us," he said. "If we were going to sell the bank, we wouldn't have built such a unique structure."
Centier commissioned The Troyer Group, of Mishawaka, to design the building. Construction began in February 2007.
The new 72,000-square-foot corporate center sits on a 5-acre campus at the corner of 84th Avenue and Virginia Street, southwest of the I-65/U.S. 30 interchange. Its blue façade is visible from I-65, U.S. 30 and Broadway. A coating on the windows reflects the sky and surrounding landscape, and the rounded curve of the structure gives the building a modern look, Schrage said.
"During my travels, I've been impressed by buildings that are made from steel and have large glass features," he said. "I wanted Centier to stand out. Even though a brick structure would have been cost-effective, it would not have had the same 'wow' factor."
That "wow" effect is especially visible in the large circlet that crowns the building and will be illuminated as the sun sets each evening. The circlet is constructed of a gold and silver frame with reflective panels. That same design is repeated inside the building in the wall sconces, ceilings and in reception desks on four of the five floors. Modern art selected by Schrage's wife, Jill, accents the round walls throughout the building.
The Centier Centre is not a public banking center, although the main lobby is open to the public. Instead, it will serve as the main business hub of the company, said Angela Jimenez, Centier public relations officer. The executive and support offices here include human resources, marketing, wealth management and lending.
The building's amenities were designed to provide a comfortable, more efficient work environment for Centier employees, called "associates." Associates from any of the bank's 45 offices can use the second-floor fitness center, Jimenez said.
Coffee lounges are on the second through fourth floors, but the entire fifth floor is dedicated to associates, Jimenez said. A media center provides visiting associates and business guests with a common area to conduct business while on campus. Seminar rooms are available for presentations and will be the site of more than 80 enrichment courses offered each year to associates.
Currently 130 employees work at Centier Centre. However, the building was designed to accommodate company growth over the next 10 to 15 years, Schrage said. If the bank outgrows this building, another tower could be constructed on land purchased across the street, he said.
"We want this to be our cornerstone," Schrage said. "We want to attract other corporate headquarters to Merrillville and the Northwest Indiana area."
