First Bank & Trust East Texas has purchased land on the northwestern corner of H.G. Mosley and Bill Owens Parkway.
The site will serve as the new location for the bank's main branch in Longview. Construction should begin before the end of this year, according to Dan Droege, market president.
"We are truly excited about expanding our footprint and continuing to be a part of the Longview community," said Droege. "Longview is growing, and we are looking forward to being an integral part of the community."
The branch's opening will be its second location in Longview. It established a branch at 201 N. Green Street in June 2007.
"For the past year we have operated out of a very small space and have done very well," Droege said. "I am very proud of the support we have received from our customers and appreciate their loyalty and trust in us."
The new bank site will be adjacent to a new professional office complex being planned by Longview developers Jim Fisher and James Varner. The five-building, 20,000-square-foot project will be directly west of the bank on H.G. Mosley, Varner said.
Site clearing work was scheduled to begin late last week with infrastructure work slated in coming months. Varner said he and Fisher plan to develop the project during the next couple of years with construction on the first structure likely in about six months.
The property the bank purchased from Varner and Fisher along with the planned office park occupies about four acres.
Droege said increasing traffic counts on H.G. Mosley and Bill Owens Parkway were a consideration in choosing the site.
"With everything going on with Loop 281, more and more people are using the inner loop to get to work," he said. "I'm also excited about what the developers are doing around this corner. In a couple of years, you won't recognize that corner."
The main bank area will be 6,500 square feet, excluding the drive-through service lanes.
Full-service amenities will include seven drive-through lanes, two dedicated commercial lanes, four consumer lanes and an ATM lane.
Inside, there will be four lobby teller windows and a spacious lobby and offices. Droege said the bank will also offer safe deposit boxes.
River Bend gets new tenant
International Lift Systems has completed the purchase of a recently completed 7,500-square-foot facility in the Four S Industrial Park in the River Bend Business Center and Industrial Park.
The facility is at 1120 Marvin A. Smith Drive.
International Lift systems specializes in gas lift, completion products and plunger lift systems for the oil and gas industry. The local facility will serve the East Texas and North Louisiana markets.
River Bend, which had its grand opening in May, is a joint venture spearheaded by the management of MB Construction Management and the partners of Four S Oil Co. It is northwest of the intersection of Interstate 20 and Texas 31 between Longview and Kilgore.
River Bend is the site of facilities for East Texas Crude, Allied Waste, Champion Technologies, Valerus Compression Services, Nichols Transportation and Sandridge Exploration and Production.
Mike Elswick is the business editor of the Longview News-Journal. He can be reached at (903) 237-7737 or at melswick@longview-news.com.
