The former St. Charles Bank & Trust is open in the building west of the Pure Oil building drive-through.
Geneva Bank & Trust is open for business and celebrated March 21 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The former St. Charles Bank & Trust is located at 514 W. State St., just west of the distinctive and historic Pure Oil building, which now serves as its drive through. City of Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and Geneva Chamber of Commerce President Jean Gaines held the ribbon along with Geneva Bank & Trust employees, President Tom Hansen, Vice President and Bank Manager Darla Yhost, Assistant Bank Manager Debbie Fee and CEO Rich Davis. The Pure Oil Building has been nominated for a position on the National Register of Historic Places. The building had been faced with demolition but was saved after public discussion and revews by the Historic …
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The financial institution formerly known as St. Charles Bank & Trust opens its doors for the first time with the former Pure Oil Building attached as a drive-through.
It happened Monday, March 4, with no big fanfare, but the former St. Charles Bank & Trust is now the Geneva Bank & Trust, and it is open for business in the former Pure Oil Building. After more than a year of controversy, the historic Pure Oil Building is still standing, and its adaptive re-use is part of the structure of the new bank. Not only does it bear a Pure Oil-style sign on the outside, but it has a Pure Oil building inside, as well. Mike Bruno, one of the members of the Historic Preservation Commission that denied a demolition permit, praised the outcome Monday night at the Geneva City Council meeting. "Kudos to Geneva Bank," Bruno said. "They to have done a truly stellar job." Mayor Kevin Burns said there is "a vintage Pure Oil …
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5:53 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
While the bank did a good job with the drive-through, I agree with Mike that the presence of a drive-through banking facility in the commercial district defeats the purpose of our municipal planning. Our master plans, particularly the current plan, have stressed the importance of pedestrian friendly retail businesses in the downtown commercial district. The first standard for special use, which … more ›
Genevans, the Historic Preservation Commission applauded for saving the distinctive downtown landmark, once scheduled for demolition.
At first, it was curious that more people weren't attending Tuesday's Historic Preservation Commission meeting, considering the topic was the Pure Oil Building. But it's also easy to see why the meeting wasn't a big deal. After all, HPC support for putting the Pure Oil building on the National Register is a no-brainer if ever there was one. Historic Prevervation Commissioner Mike Bruno described the domestic cottage-style structure as "one of the most valuable and iconic buildings in (its) place and time." "I don't think there's any question about our vote on this," Bruno said. "We've been neck deep or deeper in the preservation of this building." Indeed, few topics in Geneva during that past year that have generated more conversation, …
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9:37 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
Well, I think putting a bank drive-through (and a bank) is a travesty in terms of municipal planning, but the building was preserved as well as it realistically could have. The street-side facades are being restored to their original condition. Some very nice landscape/hardscape is going in. The building (as a gas station) really is little more than a shell. There was an addition at the rear that… more ›
Geneva's Historic Preservation Commission will vote Tuesday on whether to endorse the nomination of the controversial Pure Oil Building into the National Register. Joe Stanton no longer owns the property.
Geneva's Pure Oil Building has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, and Geneva's Historic Preservation Commission has been asked to give its seal of approval in a vote Tuesday. According to the HPC agenda packet, "the former Pure Oil Service State has been recommended for consideration under National Register Criterion C as a representative property possessing “distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction.” The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at City Hall. The HPC is a recommending body, so the full City Council would have to approve the action. That has to be done prior to Feb. 22, when the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council is scheduled to review the case. The owner …
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11:27 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
That's a great point Mike. There are just so many priceless ironies in this story but in the end it seem that Geneva will get a renovated, repurposed Pure Oil building that may be well protected and saved for the future. more ›
Geneva's Plan Commission has three big items on the Aug. 9 agenda, including a public hearing on the plans for a drive-through banking facility at the historic Pure Oil Building on State Street.
Three interesting items grace the Geneva Plan Commission agenda for Thursday, Aug. 9, including a look at plans for a drive-through facility at the former Pure Oil Building. Thomas Hansen of St. Charles Bank & Trust Co. will ask the advisory commission to approve a request for a special use permit that will allow a drive-through at the historic building which escaped demolition after a public outcry earlier this year. In addition to the special use, St. Charles Bank & Trust is asking for a zoning ordinance amendment to reduce the required number of "stacking spaces" per drive-through lane from five spaces to three spaces. The properties in question include much of the block, from 502 to 514 W. State St. as well as 12 S. Fifth St. In …
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Geneva High School student artists are recognized by St. Charles Bank & Trust.
St. Charles Bank & Trust—Geneva and students from Geneva High School recently partnered in a celebration of young art talent. From April 9 to April 13, 22 Geneva students displayed artwork, in a variety of mediums, at St. Charles Bank & Trust on Kaneville Road in Geneva. The public was invited to be the judges for the art competition. Awards were presented at the bank on April 13. The winners are as follows: Drawings Painting Photography First-, second- and third-place winners received a monetary award. The remaining participants received a Certificate of Honorable Mention.
9:08 pm on Sunday, April 29, 2012
Good to see that talented kids receive the accolades that they deserve. more ›
Bob Johnson
12:03 pm on Sunday, March 31, 2013
Nice to have a single picture of all the people that wanted to tear down the Pure Oil building. They'll never see a dime of my money. Don't be fooled by the warm and fuzzy "Geneva Bank & Trust" naming either. It is just a subsidiary of the St. Charles bank that goes around naming the branches after whatever town they're located in so you think you're banking "locally". Fortunately, this bank isn'… more ›