Sterling bank#039;s transformation nearly finished

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Over the past few months, Sterling State Bank in Austin has undergone a transformation. In a few weeks, that transformation will be complete and the bank will feel more spacious, will be better lit and more modern.

Deborah Uecker, president of the bank, says the dust and noise from the construction hasn't been too disruptive and that the whole project "has been a lot of fun. It's kind of a walk down memory lane. We found orange carpet and green walls and these mosaics made up of little turquoise tiles that used to be in the entrance way. It's been a lot of fun for customers to see, too."

An open house will be held Sept. 24-27, so the renovations "will be done before then, no exceptions," Uecker says, laughing. "We actually are on-schedule to be done a week before that."

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The goal of the renovation has been to "open up, modernize, update" the bank's appearance and arrangement, Uecker explains. Gone are the dark wooden paneling, the old carpet, the old teller line. Now, everything is "more open, brighter, more welcoming."

The mortgage department has moved to the opposite side of the bank, a new investment area has been created and the lounge area is bigger. Also, the teller line has been moved and all auto-bank machines are inside so customers who go through the drive-thru will communicate with a real person via a television screen instead of a machine. "It's much more personal and safer because they can see each other face-to-face," says Uecker.

Though the bank may seem larger to customers, Uecker says they haven't added on to the building at all, they've just rearranged it. The new arrangement has taken some customers by surprise, but Uecker says "we're out there right away, helping them figure out where they need to go. It really hasn't been all that bad."

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com