Masonry Magazine April 1973 Page. 7
Rear of building as seen from parking lot. Both rear and front entrances are expressed by a low canopy which visually divides the building. The huge cottonwood tree is indispensible to the plan.
Western Savings Bank
Abington, Pennsylvania
Architect: George M. Ewing Co. General Contractor: John S. McQuade Co.
Residents of Abington, Pa., who have been decrying the loss of large trees as more and more large buildings have arisen along its main thorofare in recent years, had something to cheer about this fall. When a new branch office of Western Savings Bank of Philadelphia opened its doors on the bustling and affluent Old York Road strip, the tree lovers applauded the fact that a 60-foot Carolina cottonwood remained standing in full glory at the rear of the new one-story bank office.
In designing the bank, the George M. Ewing Co. and officials of the bank placed priority on preserving the large tree. In fact, Charles T. Goulding, designer of the project, says that the design and placement of the building were largely determined by the tree. Rights of way, floor area limitations, parking requirements and accessibility to a drive-in window were other key factors in the design. Goulding was joined by Raymond C. Lynch, project architect who managed and coordinated the project. Sharing in the pride of their accomplishment is the John S. McQuade Co., general contractor for the project.
Presence of the tall cottonwood on a quarter-acre site helped achieve a residential scale and atmosphere, a delightful change from the conventional rectangular structures used for many bank branch offices. The 2,400-square-foot building has two entrances one facing the main thorofare; the other at the rear, convenient to the parking lot. Both entrances are expressed by a low canopy which visually divides the building, giving it an exterior impression.
Front view of the new bank as seen from the main thoroughfare. The large cottonwood tree, around which design and placement of the building were determined, is easily evident at the rear.