First Citizens Bank

[Miesian Corners]

This may have been discussed before, so if I'm repeating something, sorry.

What is the story behind the round First Citizens branch at North Hills? I'm in RDU a lot for biz these days have been taking some tours of areas for a developer. I almost wrecked the car when I came upon this building. Anybody know the story?

[orulz]

This may have been discussed before, so if I'm repeating something, sorry.

What is the story behind the round First Citizens branch at North Hills?  I'm in RDU a lot for biz these days have been taking some tours of areas for a developer.  I almost wrecked the car when I came upon this building.  Anybody know the story?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From what I remember, that building used to be the headquarters for BTI until they were bought out. First Citizens closed on the property sometime earlier this year. They've already invested in a good deal of property and buildings in the North Hills area. I speculate that this may become their corporate headquarters.

See this article for a more complete write-up.

[Justin6882]

From what I remember, that building used to be the headquarters for BTI until they were bought out. First Citizens closed on the property sometime earlier this year. They've already invested in a good deal of property and buildings in the North Hills area. I speculate that this may become their corporate headquarters.

I think he means the round First Citizens building, not the former BTi building. Basically, I think it was the first building of their new campus type headquarters. I believe First Citzens has a history of building different styled branches...and they can do pretty much whatever they want since its privately owned. I guess they just wanted a round building? haha

[orulz]

My mistake. For some reason, I thought the two were one and the same.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

First Citizens Bank in my humble option has all but abandoned downtown Raleigh, (for the suburbs/North Hills). Don't get me wrong I am glad to have the thousands of jobs that First Citizens has located in Raleigh and Wake County. But to me it makes a very big statement to build you corporate banking HQ outside of downtown. To me this wouldn't be a as bad a thing if it were anything but a bank.

Here is a response from First Citizens in regards to my question about leaving downtown Raleigh:

I was forwarded your email message dated Nov. 11.

First Citizens Bank has been a long-time supporter of downtown Raleigh and has had a presence there since the 1930's. Our Raleigh Main office is located at 239 Fayetteville Street Mall. We also have 32 additional offices in the Triangle.

We are always looking at sites for future offices but at this time have nothing to announce about a new downtown location.

Our corporate offices will soon be moving from Highwoods to a premier location in Raleigh's North Hills -- that is where we soon have a corporate campus comprised of several large buildings.

I hope you will consider First Citizens for your banking needs. We've been in business for more than a century and we are committed to delivering exemplary service to our customers.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Barbara Thompson, APR

Senior Vice President

Manager, Public Relations

Marketing and Communications

First Citizens Bank

(919) 716-2716

[wfdude]

that is such a shame. i work right across the street from their corporate office. its so boring.

[willrusso]

blah

[ralex231]

This is the stuff that really pisses me off.

[Jones_]

The kicker for me is that they imploded the 12 story circa 1912 gothic style Commercial Bank building without firm plans to build the 25 story tower we have all seen renderings of. The claim is that the project had to be abandoned after BB&T and First Union broke ground first on their towers, but it almost certainly was a move to get the building off the tax rolls and let the value of the lot appreciate...appreciation stoked entirely by the building of the BB&T and First Union towers. This move alone causes me talk down the bank to friends and to vow never to use it myself....whereas I agree with folks here on RBC, I may open an account as a 'thank you' for locating downtown.

[Eastwestrob]

The kicker for me is that they imploded the 12 story circa 1912 gothic style Commercial Bank building without firm plans to build the 25 story tower we have all seen renderings of. The claim is that the project had to be abandoned after BB&T and First Union broke ground first on their towers, but it almost certainly was a move to get the building off the tax rolls and let the value of the lot appreciate...appreciation stoked entirely by the building of the BB&T and First Union towers. This move alone causes me talk down the bank to friends and to vow never to use it myself....whereas I agree with folks here on RBC, I may open an account as a 'thank you' for locating downtown.

Wish Raleigh had something written that if you demolish you must rebuild on that spot

[waynehead]

Are there any pictures of that old building?

[NCMike1981]

There is a picture floating around here in another thread.....do a search and I'm sure you'll find it.

[Jones_]

Are there any pictures of that old building?

Trying to add a picture...might take me a try or two...there are two tall buildings both gone in this picture...Citizens bank is the one on the left and Commercial is on the right. Citizens was where the current 4 story black First Citizens bank is now at Martin and Fayetteville and of course Commercial was on the empty block we are discussing. Almost every building in this picture is gone actually.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Question?

Has anyone seen/heard anything lately about First Citizens banks plans for their North Hills campus? I noticed that they have stopped building any further buildings on there campus and have bought the former First Union/BTI building accross the street from NH's.

[dmccall]

All I know is that plans are still on for the companion to the wierd Asian looking building on the Six Forks/Lassiter Mill corner. It is a crescent shaped building that is supposed to make it all make sense. One has to wonder if North Hills East changes their plans or if the downtown push for taller bank buildings changes them. I canot imagine that their HQ being on a suburban campus has any subconscious effect on people who seek loans. The big confident, proud building downtown concept seems to have more emotional effect on people, IMHO.

[thewhister]

When did they move out of downtown? I guess they would have no desire to move from their North Hills location since it is not that far from downtown. IMO it is not bad to have a major employer in North Hills....it would just emphasize that North Hills is another major location in Raleigh. Better to have a good mix of commerical property (offices, retail, etc.) than just a major retail center like Triangle Town Center is.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

When did they move out of downtown? I guess they would have no desire to move from their North Hills location since it is not that far from downtown. IMO it is not bad to have a major employer in North Hills....it would just emphasize that North Hills is another major location in Raleigh. Better to have a good mix of commerical property (offices, retail, etc.) than just a major retail center like Triangle Town Center is.

First Citizens imploded there very old downtown building several years ago and later after the economy went south they decided not to rebuild downtown and that they prefered to be closer to there customers base,(ie. North Raleigh). While I agree that its great to have a large employer in the North Hills area , It is my personal, old fashioned option that a banks headquarters building should be in its downtown. There they can be shown off in the skyline mix of tall buildings and make a business statment as well as providing the citizens of Raleigh and the rest of the state that they are here for the long haul.

[Subway Scoundrel]

I have a very good friend that, let's say, works in the organization and he asked Mr. Holden something to the effect of "Why is FCs not downtown or "Will FCs ever move back DT" and he said he a got a mean sneer look back and knew never to ask that question again.

[dmccall]

he a got a mean sneer look back and knew never to ask that question again.

Well, that's just sooooooo unusual from him!

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

I guess that First Citizens will forever be in the shadows of RBC! And maybe even Capital Bank? One of the things that eats at me about FC's is not just that they had to get permisson,(from the National Reg of Historic Places), to have there former downtown building torn down. But it is also that they took the time to renovate a former building in downtown Smithfield ,(Johnston County), into one of there offices, (great idea, but why not downtown Raleigh as well?), which is where they originally came from in 1898,(Smithfield).

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

I wonder if anyone has ever asked, "Where is the HQ of this FCB? Is it in Raleigh? Charlotte? It looks as if the good folks at FCB have,(visually), chosen the old First Union bank building on Six Forks road to showcase there HQ! They have an ad in today's 10/24/2008 TBJ, in which they show a picture of both the original first branch/1898 and there new HQ building/old First Union building. My question is what do they call there new round building on there new HQ campus across the street? a satellite HQ/campus? A place to simply expand? Maybe they should just build a new HQ building in downtown Raleigh and sell the remainder of there land to Kane/realty. IMHO!

[Gard]

^^

They've owned those two buildings for a good while now.

In fact, according to First Citizens, their location at North Hills has been their HQ since 2005:

http://www.firstcitizens.com/about_us/news...ate_center.html

As far as the round building goes, they just purchased it so they could have more room to spread out. Its basically just and annex to their HQ across the street and according to a TBJ article from June of this year, FCB signaled that they may expand the campus there even further:

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/storie.../02/story2.html

[Jones_]

Screw First Citizens. They tore down one classical revival 11 story building (in the 1960's) and replaced it with that squat black granite block with no windows facing FS above the first floor, and then imploded a gothic revival 12 story building (1989 I think) and left a parking lot until RBC came along finally.....they did not build in the name of a failing economy. But they were mighty please to move their HQ to what was then still the 'burbs, with no hint of any mid-town turnaround.

[ChiefJoJo]

Screw First Citizens. They tore down one classical revival 11 story building (in the 1960's) and replaced it with that squat black granite block with no windows facing FS above the first floor, and then imploded a gothic revival 12 story building (1989 I think) and left a parking lot until RBC came along finally.....they did not build in the name of a failing economy. But they were mighty please to move their HQ to what was then still the 'burbs, with no hint of any mid-town turnaround.

[dmccall]

Ditto. FC has done little to nothing for Raleigh. I was actually there when the old FC Bldg was demo-ed. At least we now have RBC on the block now.