Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Constructive Criticism: A remodeling effort at the Home Savings Bank on Lincoln Avenue kept some neighbors awake at night, so bank president Dave Machado walked the neighborhood to apologize.

Home Savings of America building gets major face-lift after acquisition

Construction crews rumble late into the night, disturbing the bank's neighbors

By Jessica Lyons

For the customers and employees of Home Savings of America on Lincoln Avenue, their branch has seemed more like a war zone than a bank over the past month.

"You come in and it looks like an atomic bomb has hit," Home Savings Vice President David Machado says, referring to the $300,000 remodel, a result of the bank's acquisition by Washington Mutual.

Daytime construction crews dig at the vault floor, saw through walls, and rewire cables while customers complete their bank transactions. That's just what happens during business hours. Most of the work goes on at night.

Most of the work--including removing the tile floor, extending both the front and the back of the vault, rebuilding the teller line and moving the ATM--must be done after regular business hours, Machado says, and closing the branch is not an option.

During the construction, which will be completed on April 24, the bank has only closed its doors once, on March 13, to accommodate the construction.

Noise hasn't been a problem lately, according to neighbors, but that wasn't always the case. While the construction crew jackhammered away at the tile floor in the lobby, and worked around the clock to finish the new vault, the sweet sounds of forklifts in reverse and metal beams hitting the pavement in the wee hours of the morning became almost routine for neighbors living in the area.

"Working till 10 or 11 at night is fine with me, but don't be out there at midnight cutting with an electric saw and dropping metal things on the pavement," said Ken Pauley, who lives on Minnesota Avenue, right behind the bank's parking lot. Pauley called both the police and Councilman Frank Fiscalini's office to complain about the noise.

His complaining paid off--Machado visited the neighbors around the bank, explaining the remodeling and time line, and apologizing for the noise.

"I really apologize for the noise," Machado says, "We're not here to offend anyone. I don't look at them only as neighbors, they're also potential customers."

Minnesota Avenue residents say they can already see--and hear--a difference.

"The last several days have been fine," says Brett Henshaw, who lives upstairs from Pauley. A window in his home looks onto the Home Saving's parking lot and construction work. "When I'm in bed I like to sleep. So driving a forklift between 1:00 and 6:00 is not my idea of a good time. From 1:00 in the morning on, don't break out the concrete saw--and they did that earlier. I'm not against construction, but when I'm in bed, I like to sleep."

The construction won't last forever, Machado says.

"It's only temporary. We have been a quiet neighbor here for 20 years and will be after this for at least 20 more. We're just happy they [Washington Mutual] kept the building. The mosaic outside is staying and the mural inside is staying. This building is living art. It's a work of art and once the construction is done, we think it's going to be beautiful."

Around the Glen

Nations' name changes

Sports Briefs

Willow Glen track, softball, tennis