The best is saved for last: As the last step in a renovation program worth around four million euros in the Gmünd district, Raiffeisenbank Oberes Waldviertel built a completely new bank branch in Heidenreichstein. After the demolition of the former bank office in May and construction at a record pace, operations restarted before Christmas. The ceremonial opening will take place during an open day on January 31st.
“Come in,” says regional manager Herbert Sax, as he looks out of an inconspicuous black door in the back right corner of the new bank foyer at the press event. The foyer is where all the threads come together. All self-service functions are available here around the clock. Go straight ahead to the service and cash desk during opening hours. Next to it, behind attractive natural wood cladding, there is a cube around which the inner workings of the bank branch are arranged. You can only enter the cube with a code and fingerprint – and only during opening hours: the customer safe room is hidden behind a thick security door. In view of the long waiting lists in the former bank building, the 30 safe spaces have now been expanded to 114, which are secured using the latest technology.
To the right of the wooden cube is the black door where Herbert Sax is still waiting. This is your own access with video function and appointment bell, which was implemented here for the first time in an RBOW bank branch. Employees and people with consultation appointments come and go here outside of counter hours.
Anyone who has passed this door can take a look on the right into a wing with the only remaining walls from the not-so-old “old building” that was built in 1997: Here, four small rooms were completely gutted and converted into technical, heating, cleaning and… Toilet rooms converted.
Left goes counterclockwise around the wooden cube. First, Sax opens the door to the meeting room with modern equipment for digital presentation options, the kitchen block – the boss particularly liked the coffee machine here in the first few days – and a large group of tables that can accommodate a good 15 people. The option to come together on such a large scale did not exist in the previous bank branch.
We continue to the advisory offices, a team office with five seats and past a central waiting area back to the counter and checkout room, to which further advisory offices are connected.
The region, immortalized visually. There used to be two advice offices, says Herbert Sax, “and an additional emergency solution”. Today, the team office and six consulting offices are available, all equipped with height-adjustable desks and ergonomic armchairs, with sound insulation, including subtle colored acoustic elements on the walls. Each office is also decorated with a picture from one of the regional communities – “because we are a regional office, so the region should be reflected here,” says Sax. The motif was chosen in coordination with the communities.
The choice of motif also has to do with the fact that the former bank office will at least not be completely forgotten despite the extensive demolition: the curved institute is part of a spectacular photograph of the castle town of Heidenreichstein under a thick rainbow that adorns the wall of the boss’s office.
Not an easy decision: second new building within 26 years
The new building is not much larger than the Raiffeisenbank Oberes Waldviertel branch in Heidenreicherstein, which was built in 1997. It is a timber-framed building, with 416 instead of 280 m² of usable space, and also significantly lower with a flat roof. But: According to planning by the Gmünder architect Gerhard Macho, who was the “father” of the previous house, the area is now perfectly tailored to the requirements of a bank, which have changed significantly over the years from classic cash business to advice. Instead of the once oversized cash desk with three cash desks and two advisory offices, there is now, like in the other converted bank branches, only one cash desk and a central service point – here framed by an impressive illuminated image of the moated castle. For this purpose, advice can now be provided in representative and large consulting offices.
Airy, friendly and very fresh thanks to the high wood content The fully barrier-free rooms now look comfortable thanks to a cooling and heating ceiling that ensures complete air conditioning all year round – the only exception is the foyer area, where underfloor heating was installed. Your ears are also happy: sound-absorbing elements from the floor to the walls to the ceiling ensure peace and discretion.
“That’s the big advantage of a completely new building,” says RBOW managing director Andreas Meixner after four renovations and a new bank building in less than two years: The new building involves far fewer hurdles and pressures to compromise. Nevertheless, the demolition was not easy because the former building was far from reaching the end of its useful life and was also visually attractive. However, the large ticket hall and the small consultation area no longer met current needs; an adaptation was practically impossible due to the curved shape.
The new building therefore placed particular emphasis on long-term quality and sustainability – not just with regard to the soda function on the tap, which prevents some waste, as managing director Dietmar Stütz explains: “The building is well prepared for future adaptations; for example, it can be expanded relatively easily.” Later generations should be able to use it in the event of changing needs no longer be forced to completely sand the house.
The idea of sustainability will soon also be noticeable on the roof: as soon as the weather permits, a 25 kWp photovoltaic system will be installed, which not only covers your own needs, but can also feed into the grid during peak times. Further expansion is still possible here too. An electric charging point in front of the house is expected to go into operation in the foreseeable future.
The transitional months in the converted former showroom of the Möbel Handl company on Pertholzer Straße worked absolutely smoothly, says regional manager Herbert Sax, “we were happy that this opportunity arose.” The throughput frequency was of course lower than before and after at the old and new location at Brunfeldstrasse 1, where the bank branch is perfectly visible at a hotspot in the middle of the B5 federal highway, supermarkets, tobacconists, schools and children’s shops.
2.4 million euros went into the new building, which, together with the Litschau and Brand locations, covers the northern region of RBOW. 17 employees (one of whom is currently on maternity leave) look after around 9,500 customers.
Insights at the open day. To mark the completion, an open day will be organized on January 31st, 45 years after Raiffeisen first operated a bank branch in Heidenreichstein in a rental premises at Bahnstiege 1. Between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., anyone interested can take a look at the newly built branch, and their physical well-being is taken care of.
