Wells Bank continued the process of moving its headquarters during last week’s Platte City Planning and Zoning Commission.
With a unanimous vote, the commissioners approved a final plat for the former grocery store location on Branch Street. Wells Bank has already begun the process of deconstructing the inside with plans to renovate the building into a new office location.
Jim Baber, who attended the meeting representing Wells Bank, said the work continues on the inside of the building, but there is no public date for completion of the project.
Currently, Wells Bank operates properties in Platte City on Main Street and at 1098 Branch Street. The location at 1098 Branch Street sits next to the recently acquired property at 1100 Branch Street with the two units separated by bank drive-thru lanes.
Sharp’s Market Inc. operated an Apple Market Grocery Store in the 1100 Branch Street location until this past November. Shortly after the closure, the signage was removed from the building and renovation work began on the inside.
According to Baber, Wells Bank, which now operates six branches in Missouri, plans to also update the building’s façade to make it different from the rest of the exteriors in the adjoining strip mall.
Wells Bank plans to have all of its offices centrally located at the 1100 Branch Street property along with walkup bank services. The current Branch Street location would likely be vacated but will remain open until completion of the renovation and opening of the new headquarters location.
The headquarters for Wells Bank has continued to be located at the original branch location at 301 Main Street on one of the corners of the intersection with Third Street. Baber said there still are no future plans for the historic building, but bank officials plan to explore options of selling the property.
The Main Street branch will also remain open until the completion of the renovations at the new headquarters. Original estimates for work at 1100 Branch Street were about nine months.
The first grocery store at 1100 Branch Street opened in 1989, and the property operated under multiple brand names. In 2010, the store underwent a space reduction, allowing the Dollar General store to open up next door.