When Amegy Bank began its search for space to house a retail branch and wealth management suite in downtown Houston, the historic and newly renovated Esperson buildings offered an unusual opportunity to create a new aesthetic for the bank. Constructed in 1927 and 1941, the combined Niels and Mellie Esperson Buildings were not only an identifiable landmark, but offered the unique advantage of ‘one stop shopping’ for bank customers. Amegy could place an ATM at the tunnel level (accessible to the bustling lunch crowd), a retail space at street level, and a wealth management suite on the 13th floor, all connected by the same elevator bank.
Positioning three services within one location speaks directly to the bank’s core principles, best outlined by chief executive officer, Steve Stephens: “We look at banking from our clients’ perspective and….we bring solutions to clients by being proactive and providing them access to all parts of the bank in their own geographic areas.” This attention to client-based banking drove the bank’s decision to depart from its traditional retail branch design, lease space in a landmark building, and engage IA to bring site and bank together.