Country Bank has donated its former corporate headquarters on Ware’s Main Street to the Town of Ware, with pending plans to convert it into a new police station.
The former headquarters at 75-79 Main St. has been underutilized since 2005, when the bank moved its corporate headquarters, along with 140 team members, to 15 South St., according to the bank’s Wednesday press release. When the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, the Main Street branch was officially closed.
“Not maintaining a presence on Main Street was a tough decision that required months of consideration while assessing how this location might be best utilized to support the community,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank, in the press release. “The effects of the pandemic combined with a significant decrease in customer foot traffic over the years and a shift in banking habits to more customers adopting electronic delivery channels were all a considerable part of the decision.”
The Town of Ware has tentative plans to use the donated space for a new police department, as the police department moved to its current location 20 years ago as a temporary fix when it left Town Hall, per the release. Rehabilitation of the space would cost between $2 and $3 million.
The buildings span a total of about 21,500 square feet and are assessed by the Town of Ware at around $3 million, according to the Ware assessors’ database. It includes a banking office, parking lot, parking garage, and rooftop parking.
Ware will hold a town meeting to officially accept the donation and approve funding and usage. If approved, the bank will begin the process of transferring ownership, which is expected to happen in 2023.
