The first 3D printed commercial building in America has opened on Chattanooga's Southside as the region's biggest credit union realigns its downtown offices to accommodate its continued growth.
The Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union is displaying its iconic wave branding on the exterior of its newest branch - an 8,000-square-foot, drive-through office at 125 W. 20th Street.
The two-story structure, which is helping replace TVFCU's former headquarters on Market Street downtown, is the first-ever building to use a 3D-printed exterior using a patented cellular fabrication method developed by Chattanooga's Branch Technology. The 207 unique blocks that form the facade of the new TVFCU branch were prefabricated by 3D laser printers at Branch Technology's Riverside Drive facility to feature the wave design and appearance of the credit union's logo.
"This is the first example of a democratized design that could have never been built with conventional methods," said Platt Boyd, an architect who gave up his 19-year design career and relocated to Chattanooga to participate in CoLab's GigTank to launch his business. "Now through 3D printing, normal architects and normal clients can have amazing design features that are truly unique. This sets TVFCU apart from every other bank in town."
Todd Fortner, president of TVFCU, said he was attracted to Platt's idea and urged his staff to work with Branch Technology after Platt's startup company won Chattanooga's Spirit of Innovation award in 2016.
Fortner said Branch Technology was selected to help with the new 20th Street branch after TVFCU recognized five years ago it was outgrowing its main office at 715 Market Street where the credit union had been headquartered since 1978.
TVFCU, one of the biggest credit unions in Tennessee with more than 151,000 members, has grown to $2 billion in assets and needed more space for lending and administrative offices, especially as the credit union developed its interactive teller machines that allow bank employees to interact with members at branch locations from the main facility.
Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union President Todd Fortner, left, talks to members of the design team and others on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, during the opening of TVFCU's new branch on Chattanooga's Southside. It is the first 3D printed commercial building of its type in America.TVFCU bought the former IBM building on Chestnut Street and moved its administrative offices there in 2018 and earlier this month moved its Market Street retail operation across the street into a smaller branch in the Market City Center.
"You can only grow as fast as you have space so we needed more room for our headquarters," Fortner said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at the site of the new 20th street branch.
TVFCU has nearly 400 employees and continues to grow, including a pending merger recently approved by members of the Roper Corporation Employees Federal Credit Union in Lafayette, Georgia. That single-employer credit union has about 600 members and $2 million in assets and, pending regulatory approval, will soon be merging with TVFCU, Fortner said.
The new Southside branch allows TVFCU to maintain a drive-through branch in the downtown area. The city's formed-based code doesn't allow drive-through locations in most of the central city.
Fortner said working with Branch Technology to design and build TVFCU's 20th office across its 11-county footprint reflects the credit union's efforts to be both local and innovative.
"As a local membership-owned credit union with local decision making, we like to be as local as possible in our approach and we're thrilled to be able to work with such a great local startup company," he said.
Christy Gillenwater, president of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, said TVFCU's support for Branch Technology's innovative design reflects the local ecosystem of economic support for startups by other businesses in the Chattanooga area.
Fortner said TVFCU plans to soon sell its three-story building at 715 Market Street.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6340