((L-R) Chandler Tompkins, Mid Oregon branch loan officer; Darek Olson, Project Manager, STEELE Associates Architects; Dina Bliss; Mid Oregon Home Loans; Sarah Rathke, Mid Oregon Branch Manager; Kristy Thompson, Project Manager, Sunwest Builders; Felicity Bush, Mid Oregon New Account Representative | Photo by Cascade Business News)
Three-Story Facility Located in Bend’s Old Mill District with Full-Service Branch
Mid Oregon Credit Union is embracing Bend’s timber town roots with the unveiling of its new three-story, 15,945-square-foot corporate headquarters — and eighth full-service branch — in the Old Mill district.
The building enjoys a prominent perch on Bluff Drive above the retail mall’s multi-plex cinema and embraces a fresh dimension in construction known as “mass timber” — a method using large, prefabricated wood panels that are glued, nailed or dowelled together. The style evokes the area’s sawmill legacy, and the Mid Oregon HQ features voluminous use of exposed wood through glue-laminated timber (GLT) construction — an engineered wood product consisting of layers of kiln-dried dimension lumber oriented at right angles and then glued to form structural panels.
The GLT and cross-laminated timber (CLT) wood panel systems are both elements of mass timber construction, which is rapidly gaining in popularity in the U.S. after being widely adopted in Europe and garnering a reputation as a strong, sustainable low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel, as well as being fire resistant, and potentially more cost-competitive. Alternating grains improve panels’ dimensional stability, affording designers a host of new uses for wood, including wide prefabricated floor slabs, single-level walls, and taller floor plate heights. Able to be left exposed in building interiors, it also offers additional aesthetic attributes. As well as conveying warmth and sophistication throughout the new building, the material’s strength, dimensional stability, and rigidity allow it to be used as a load-bearing structure and an interior finish material for mid to highrise construction, up to eight floors according to code updates.
Mid Oregon partnered with Steele Associates Architects and SunWest Builders for the new building, which features a full-service branch, drive-thru teller, and ATM lanes on the ground floor. Kristy Thompson, project manager for SunWest Builders, said the highly sustainable green building is the first mass timber structure in the Old Mill District. Built on the site of the former toolshed, it boasts stunning views to the west and the area’s iconic smokestacks.
“We are incredibly proud of this new building,” Mid Oregon Credit Union project manager Robert Dennis, SVP, Risk Management, said. “It’s a testament to our commitment to sustainability and creating a modern, inspiring workspace for our employees.” Mid Oregon’s executive leadership, wealth management, home loans, mortgage and several back-office departments are relocating to the second and third floors, providing much-needed space for the credit union’s growing staff of 160.
The design features materials from Woodworks Innovation Network, honoring the timber-based history of the Old Mill District and the broader Bend community. Steele Associates Project Manager Darek Olson, who worked with STEELE teammates Kalinda Carnahan, Dustin Gerkhardt, Lucas DeCastilhos, and principal designer Scott Steele, said: “This state-of-the-art facility provides amenities to support a modern office culture, including extensive windows for access to natural light, designated staff engagement/break areas, conference rooms, bike lockers and more.
“It also incorporates ‘biophilic’ design, which is an architectural and interiors approach that incorporates natural materials and/or patterns into buildings to create a healthier and more
productive environment.”
“Mid Oregon wanted to honor the Old Mill’s timber legacy, so we designed this beautiful, sustainable mass timber branch in keeping with their vision. Mid Oregon Credit Union is an amazing local business, and we thank them for entrusting us with the design of their branches,” Steele added.
“This project by an amazing team would not be possible without the support of the Central Oregon community and our loyal members,” Kyle Frick, Mid Oregon Credit Union VP of Marketing and Community Relations said. “We are focused on building a branch network conveniently located for the majority of our customer base and are proud of being involved in a lot of diverse ways in the communities in which we operate. Our motto is ‘Good Friends, Great Service’ and our difference is that we are really people-centered, prioritizing customer service, and investing a lot in our employees, and helping them reach personal and professional goals.
“We are on a steady growth curve and while credit union membership is growing nationally at around 2%, we are experiencing 5- 6% growth, and were named the top credit union by Forbes magazine for the last two consecutive years,” Frick continued. “We call the new building our world headquarters as our world is entirely in Central Oregon! We are the only financial institution headquartered here in Central Oregon, and as well as being a full-service branch, the building is housing the executive team, accounting, human resources, wealth management, mortgage, and home loans. It really is an all-in-one-stop shop featuring the full range of functions.
“The location is also strategic in being centrally positioned to offer more accessibility for our members and designed to better serve the broader Bend community and accommodate Mid Oregon’s growing team. We also embrace comments from our customers and have a continuous feedback loop to help us in communication with our member needs — which our staff has termed ‘Monday morning love letters’.”
“This new branch marks a significant milestone for Mid Oregon,” said Kevin Cole, president, and CEO of Mid Oregon Credit Union. “The mass-timber construction honors the rich history of the Old Mill and reflects our commitment in providing an exceptional experience for our members, growing community and employees. Mid Oregon has been serving the Central Oregon community for 66 years, and what better way to continue to do so than by building a new state-of-the-art facility. We are excited about the positive impact our new facility will have in helping members meet their financial needs and achieve their dreams.”
About Mid Oregon Credit Union:
Mid Oregon Credit Union is a full-service, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in and serving Central Oregonians since 1957. With over 49,000 members in Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Wheeler, Lake, and North Klamath Counties and over $750 million in assets, Mid Oregon partners with members to meet their financial needs and to help them achieve their goals. Eight full-service branches provide convenient access in Bend (3), Redmond, Prineville, Madras, La Pine and Sisters. Mid Oregon was named a Top Workplace in Oregon and Southwest Washington for 2022, 2023 and 2024. It was also ranked the #1 credit union in Oregon by Forbes in 2023 and 2024.
Mid Oregon Credit Union Headquarters
557 SW Bluff Dr., Bend
Property Owner/Developer: Mid Oregon Credit Union
Contractor: SunWest Builders
Project Cost: $9,330,000
Sitework Start: March 14, 2023
Completion: December 31, 2024
Square Footage: 17,039 sq. ft.
Project Manager: Kristy Thompson
Supervisor: David Mata
Engineer: Hickman Williams & Associates
Architect: Steele Associates Architects, LLC
Principal Architect: Scott Steele
Interior Designer: Kalinda Carnahan
Structural Engineer: Ashley & Vance Engineering
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing
(MEP) Engineer: ColeBreit Engineering
Geotechnical Engineer: Carlson Geotechnical
Special Inspection &
Testing Agency: Carlson Testing, Inc.
Landscaping: Homeland Design, LLC
Subcontractors and Suppliers: Bend Concrete Services, Acouti-Level Floor, Superior Garage Floors, Solid Rock Masonry, Trueline Steel, Carpentry Plus, NW Framing Systems, Cascade Cabinets & Countertops, Kaminski Construction, Energy Conservation Insulation (ECI), Nelson Roofing Enterprises dba Eagle Roofing, RC Building Specialties, Bell Hardware, Bend Commercial Glass, Foster Creek Construction, CCI Bend, Paulson’s Floor Covering, Fabulous Floors, Empire Painting, Stikwood, North Country Building Specialties, Elmer’s Flag & Banner, Johnson Bros. Appliances, Cornerstone dba 9 to 5 Office Furniture, Lakeview Millworks Sales, TKE Elevator Corp., J&R Fire, Central Pipe Mechanix, Stephen’s (Vice) Heating & Cooling, Elite Electric, Cooks Solutions Group, Greenbar Excavation, Tri-County Paving, Roger Langeliers Construction Co., Andres Landscape (Picon Pacheco)
