Bank of New Hampshire reopens downtown after year of construction

LACONIA — After more than a year of construction, Bank of New Hampshire opened the lobby of their new building this week. Located just off Veterans Square downtown, the brick and granite building matches the aesthetic of its surroundings, while contrasting with the old stucco building next door. 

“It was important that we stayed in downtown Laconia. I think it shows our commitment to Laconia and to the Lakes Region,” President and CEO Christopher Logan said. “It's an important customer base for us.”

Customers walking into the lobby for the first time often stopped at the entrance, admiring the new blue and light gray aesthetic, with wooden accessories throughout the space. There is also a coffee area with a Keurig machine, where people can wait for their appointments. Keith Henderson, a bank customer since 2011, said the space is inviting. He particularly liked how the cubicles for management and administration are glass.

“It’s like a cubicle you can see into,” he said. “If you see someone you recognize, you can wave and say ‘Hi.’”

Vice President and Marketing Officer Tiffany Baert said this was the intended outcome, making the space more welcoming for customers.

“It just is a more welcoming space, and we've changed the format of how our tellers or bank service representatives are greeting,” she said. “So it's no longer a format where you come in and you go to a receptionist. Everybody's just kind of in a rotation, and everybody is welcomed as they come in the door.”

The space is also smaller than before, but Logan says it doesn’t feel that way.

“This building is 20% smaller in square footage than the other building, but yet, it has more office space and more conference room space, because it's laid out much better,” he said.

Logan emphasized the building’s greener initiatives. There are solar panels on the roof, and there will be more green space on the property, and less pavement.

Logan said the move into the new building was prompted by problems in the old one. The roof and windows needed to be revamped, and the HVAC system failed. When the bank started looking at renovating that building, leadership discovered it would be more expensive to stay in the old building than to build a new one.

While the lobby is now open, there is still more to do. The drive-thru is still closed, as the Beacon Street entrance is still under construction. It is expected to open next week. They will also demolish the old building to make space for a new parking lot, which is expected to take 8-12 weeks. Finishing touches will be made in the spring. Opechee Construction Corporation, of Belmont, has been working on the new building since June 2023.

Bank of New Hampshire is the oldest independent bank in the state, founded in 1831. Through the years, the bank has always resided within 100 yards of the current building, for almost 200 years. Since the bank was established before the founding of Laconia, it’s also been through a few name changes. In 1831, it was named the Meredith Bridge Savings Bank, as Laconia was called Meredith Bridge before it was incorporated as a town in 1855, according to the city’s website. In 1869, it was renamed Laconia Savings Bank to reflect the bank's commitment to the new town. Laconia became a city in 1893. In 2012, they transitioned to Bank of New Hampshire to reflect their expansion across the state with 21 banking offices in the Granite State and southern Maine. But with the new building, Logan said despite all this change, the bank has had the same commitment to its customers throughout their history.

“We are continuing to be Bank of New Hampshire as we always have, and we'll continue to service our customers and our clients and within our communities, and give back to our communities, as we always have,” he said.