New Site Located Near Wal-Mart Supercenter

By NELSON MORAIS

Staff Writer

Heritage Community Bank officials held an official groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for a new branch building to be located at 3626 East Andrew Johnson Highway, across the street from the Greeneville Wal-Mart Supercenter.

About 50 people, including Greene County Mayor Alan Broyles, Greeneville Mayor Laraine King and state Rep. David Hawk R-5th, of Greeneville, attended the event, which was hosted by the Greene County Partnership.

They delivered brief congratulatory remarks.

The bank will move its operations from its location at 2140 East Andrew Johnson Highway to the new facility, which is expected to be built and ready for occupancy in about six months.

The five-year-old bank has its main office at 114 West Church Street and another branch at 1435 Hwy. 70 Bypass.

Tommy Burns, Heritage Community Bank president, told a reporter before the ceremony that the current turmoil in financial markets "has not affected us. We're very sound and well-capitalized and happy where we are in this market."

Burns also said the bank currently has about $113.5 million in assets.

Kent Bewley, chairman of the board of directors for the bank, said, "In light of what the (current) economic conditions are, we've never faltered. There was a question whether to park this (building project) for a while. This economic downturn is temporary. We're going to get through it."

Bewley also noted that the bank's location, across from Wal-Mart, "will make it accessible for northeast customers in Greene County." He added, "The fact that it's across from Wal-Mart doesn't hurt, and that it's on a major thoroughfare (East Andrew Johnson Highway)."

In his public comments, Burns said that Heritage Community Bank's board of directors "have made a decision to be aggressive and move forward. This is our fifth year. Things have always been up, up and up ... The decisions we are making are for our community."

The new bank will have about 5,087 square feet and 27 parking spaces, according to a representative of the developer, Construction Consultants.