CANFIELD, Ohio – Two years in the making, Farmers National Bank unveiled its 27,000-square-foot expansion of its main offices Thursday.
The two-story brick addition is a nod to Farmers’ 138 years in the community, and the modern glass aspects of the building show a bright future.
The new addition will house a portion of the lending team, branch operations and marketing and executive offices. Employees will benefit from a rooftop meeting area with picnic tables, a putting green and outdoor kitchen for functions. The addition also features historic photos of bank officers and locations. Rooms throughout the building are named in honor of Farmers’ first six presidents. The boardroom is named in honor of its first president, Alexander Dickson.
Kevin Helmick, current president and CEO, welcomed those involved with the project and community members before a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.
“We believe the building will reflect the ever-changing demands of a dynamic workforce,” Helmick said. “We have ample flex space, collaborative areas – and you see plenty of room for growth. You never want to build to what you have if you have a growth mindset, and Farmers National Bank has a growth mindset.”
Strollo Architects of Youngstown designed the expansion project, and DeSalvo Construction of Hubbard completed it. Helmick said he was “so proud to use so many local partners” for the project.
Founded in 1887, Farmers National Banc Corp. is headquartered in Canfield and has 62 locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Canfield Mayor Don Dragish thanked Farmers for its continued commitment to Canfield with its $9 million investment to expand its headquarters.
“It’s a partnership built on trust, shared values and a genuine belief in the people who call this place home,” Dragish said. “You’re not just constructing a building. You are constructing a legacy, and all of us here are excited to watch that legacy grow even stronger.”
Joe DeSalvo and Gregg Strollo both said the project was challenging.
“Obviously, this was a very tricky build, just because of the proximity – not just the neighboring building that we built up to and connected to, but also Lisbon Street and the Green,” DeSalvo said. “We were very tight logistically.”
Additionally, Desalvo said there were unknown underground storage tanks and gas lines. Plus, the street had to be fortified before building could begin.
DeSalvo credited everyone involved with the project – from the city to the county to the building department and commissioners and mayor – for collaborating well with both the design architects and construction crew. At the peak of the project, more than 50 trades people were working on the project, DeSalvo said.
Pictured at top: Kevin Helmick, president and CEO of Farmers National Bank, speaks during Thursday’s event.