Dowagiac Planning Commission signed off on the site plan by Brooks Architectural in Stevensville for a modern 2,500-square-foot Honor Credit Union at 56337 M-51 South.

 

Since its location is so good, Honor will tear down its existing uninsulated 1970s block building from Michigan National Bank and Berrien Teachers Credit Union and replace it in the same location with one of three models which resembles one in Benton Harbor rather than one in Niles.

 

General contractor for the single-story, wood-framed building with brick veneer is E.C. Moore and Associates of Berrien Springs.

 

Zoning code requires 13 parking spaces, or one for each 200 square feet of building area. The developer provided 27, including two handicap spaces.

 

Parking will be asphalt, sloped to allow storm water run-off into the catch basin in front of the property.

 

The site will be landscaped with bushes and plantings and illuminated with three 90-watt light-emitting diode (LED) lamps on posts and four 200-watt high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps mounted on the building, according to city building official James Bradford.

 

The new facility designed by Brooks architect Ade Adewoye, who attended, features two drive-through lanes, a drive-up ATM, a night deposit box and safe deposit boxes. It will be able to keep its current sign.

 

 “We are excited to invest in the Dowagiac community, which we have been a part of for nearly 30 years,” said Jessica Kehrer, regional manager for Honor Credit Union.  “We hope our members will be proud of the new branch and the continued community support by Honor Credit Union.”

 

Honor donated furniture from its Dowagiac branch office to Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance (SMEGA) in Niles.

 

Honor provides financial services to more than 39,000 members in 14 Michigan counties, making it one of the five largest credit unions in Michigan.

 

Planners heard no public comment during a brief hearing.

 

Planners, meeting for the first time since Aug. 8, 2012, re-elected Robert Frontczak as chairman and Dave Daniels as vice chairman.