news-record.com

GREENSBORO — First Citizens Bank plans to move its local corporate offices from downtown to a building under construction off Battleground Avenue by next August.

The move to Irving Park would affect about 35 executives, said Nick Dozier, vice president and area operations manager. The four-story, 30,000-square-foot building under construction also will house a branch of the bank, as well as associates in the company’s wealth, trust, insurance and commercial banking divisions, said company spokeswoman Barbara Thompson.

The five-story building downtown carries the name and brand of First Citizens, one of the largest family-controlled banks in the country, but the company only leases space there.

First Citizens likes to own its own buildings, Thompson said.

“We are committed to downtown Greensboro, which is why we are keeping our branch there, but this new building in Irving Park affords us growth,” she said.

It is unclear how the freed-up space will be used in the downtown building. First Citizens leases most of the first two floors. Vacancies in the building are listed with Simpson Schulman and Beard.

The new branch, in the footprint of the old Janus Theatre, sits behind Anton’s Restaurant on Battleground Avenue and is sided by Northwood Street.

“Of course we are disappointed with the decision for relocating some employees, but we also recognize that the bank will be keeping a significant presence in the center city,” said Ed Wolverton, president and chief executive officer of Downtown Greensboro Inc., which focuses on the business district.

The half-mile radius of downtown is the largest concentration of employees and businesses in Guilford County. The branch is located on a prime corner in the heart of downtown, at the intersection of Market and Elm streets.

“In the scheme of things, downtown has over 21,000 employees so the loss of 30 or the gain of 30 in that lens is rather insignificant,” Wolverton said. “That said, I want to keep every job we can downtown.”

Thompson said the company has stayed in constant communication with neighbors in the areas.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com