The New York herald., 1922-09-17
Deposits Of Institutions Show
Increases After Moving to
New Buildings
lPPEAL TO CUSTOMERS
Workers Take Pride in Better
Quarters-Dingy Offices
~ Relegated to Past.
BY ALFRED O. BOSOM.

hid very hackneyed Nothing suc-
ceeds like success" applies d.
i rectly to a bank In a fine now
building. or late banks have taken
to advertising on very extensive scale.
but they invariably draw their business
from the immediate area adjacent 20
the bank building and the demonstrated
prosperity of the bank. by being In q
new building. has a most beneficial ef-
feet.
In our experience. covering the de-
signing of more than sixty bank build
ings throughout the country, we have
kept figures on the increase of the de-
posits over the period from which a
bank started anew and within year
afterward. The average increase has
been more than 80 per cent. which In
the majority of cases has been more
than sufficient to pay for tho new struc.
ture.
As an example. the Columbia Trust
Company's Harlem branch on 126th
street was in a very good location, hut
In an old building, which did not give
very good accommodations to its Gus
toners. It put up new building and
within three months after the compile
ton or the building the deposits were
more than 81 per cent. more than the
maximum that they had before, and at
a. period when all the other banks in the
locality were standing still or slightly
slipping.
Good architecture has a doubly bene-
fetal effect on a bank. 1t gives the do
positors sense of pride when they
walk in. 1t gives the workers in the
bank sense OF pride. knowing that
they are working in q fine new build
Ing. IT Increases their ambition and
every one walking by the structure
knows that g. new building has to be
paid for and no conservative banker
would undertake any large expenditure
unless the bank was amply able to af-
ford it. For twenty-four houfs every
day of the 365 days In year q new
building stands up and shouts for the
banks solidity.
This does not signify that every bank
in a small building is not equally strong
but to q layman there is no question
that an imposing building creates a
mental reaction of solidity and safety.
One has only to look down the list of
big banks OF the country to see how
they have followed that example. Prac-
tically every Federal Reserve branch is
building q new building or has done so
recently
The Guaranty Trust Company. the
BhIlkeTS trust company, tne SeaDOaTQ q
National Bank, the Columbia Trust COM
pany and the Corn Exchange Bank are
few here in New York that everybody
has seen recently follow that plan.
Take the form of bank advertising to-
Gay and almost without exception the
bankers portray their offices as q dem
onstration OF their success. In addition
to that side of the subject new build
ing always enables the bank TO give bet
ter accommodation to its customers and
the customer to transact business with
greater speed and ease and under easier
conditions than those prevailing in such
old buildings that have been modified
and revamped to meet conditions as the
banks have grown.
The advertising OF the conservative
old bank in unsatisfactory and dingy
quarters Is past. We are living In a
world OF motion. Success is illustrated
by progress and progress demands new
buildings. and the banks of this country
and of New York in particular have
stepped forward and set an example that
other communities can follow with great
advantage.