Fidelity Bank Gains Preliminary Approval for Downtown Spartanburg Regional Office Design
Unanimous Board Approval
In a significant step forward, Fidelity Bank has received preliminary design approval for its new regional office located in downtown Spartanburg. The decision was made during the board’s recent August meeting, where members granted approval to the project with a unanimous 4-0 vote.
Several exceptions were approved for the proposed bank, including permission for a drive-thru within 500 feet of another and for a side parking area. Additional exceptions related to the building’s design consisted of lesser window percentage on the Church Street facade, a lower frontage build-out than typically mandated for downtown buildings, access to parking from Church Street, and permission for street trees to be set behind the sidewalk.
Design Review Board Meeting
The bank’s preliminary design plans were initially presented to the city’s Design Review Board on July 2nd. At that meeting, the board elected to table their decision, requesting that Brian Murdoch, Senior Vice President and Market Executive at Fidelity Bank, return with an outline for a landscaping plan and a design more adherent with the city’s requirements for pedestrian-friendly urban design.
Anticipated Regional Office Details
Fidelity Bank had formally announced the acquisition of the project site at 305 N. Church Street in June 2023. Their intention is to construct a two-story facility providing an area of 8,400-square-feet, complete with a drive-thru, walk-in services, office spaces, and training facilities.
The approved plans incorporate a 16-foot wide plaza with shade trees on the entrance facing Church Street, a covert drive-thru, and a concealed parking area featuring a bike rack. The proposal’s new renderings also depict a one-story office wing in a sunroom-style, enabling the side of the building along Daniel Morgan Avenue to meet the downtown 60% window coverage requirements.
What’s Next for the Project?
Following the board’s grant of preliminary approval, the next phase involves the imminent demolition of the existing building on the project site, formerly a First Citizens Bank. Murdoch expressed his pleasure in being granted approval to construct a regional branch office in downtown Spartanburg and anticipates commencing work as soon as possible.
