Wells Fargo opened its newest personal and business banking branch Monday morning when Downtown Store Manager Jason Jackson cut a red ribbon in the lobby of Wells Fargo Center.
Quite a few of the 475 Wells Fargo team members who have just relocated to the building witnessed the ceremony, along with Wells Fargo Community Bank President Damien Haitsuka and North Florida District Manager Wes Stapp.
Haitsuka said the design of the new location is more traditional than the Wells Fargo branch at Enterprise Center, which has been replaced by the new office.
“This is a testament to our commitment to Downtown. We’re very proud to see our name on top of the building,” he said.
The new branch’s entrance along the Laura Street side of the building is the first major change in the exterior since 1999, said Dan Frey, Parkway Realty Services property manager.
One of the elements of that refurbishing 12 years ago was to replace the automatic sliding doors on the northeast, northwest and south sides of the building.
“Birds would trip the electric eyes, which would open the doors. Then they would hop in and fly around in the atrium. We had Morrison’s Cafeteria on the first floor back then and it posed a health hazard,” said Frey.
He said with the arrival of all 475 Wells Fargo staff members, the building is 92 percent occupied.
The Wells Fargo Downtown branch at Wells Fargo Center is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday- Thursday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday.
A week of celebration for the financial institution’s new headquarters is planned for January and the Wells Fargo stagecoach is scheduled to return to Jacksonville to take part in the Florida Blue Hometown Gator Bowl Parade at 3 p.m. Dec. 31 along East Bay Street and Coastline Drive.
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