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Fidelity Industrial Bank Section NEW BRITAIN HERALD [~ ] NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, THURSDAY, DECFMBER 1, 1927. The building is equipped with a Formal Opening Next Saturday |- v ot s Of Fidelity Industrial Bank | New Building on West Main Street to Be Opened For Public Inspection For the second time within a period of a few weeks the New Brit- From 5to 9 P. M. bullding was primarily the community to provide with an institution {duplex lighting fixtures made to harmonize with fnterior decorations. The Fidelity Industrial bank has |had a rapfd growth. It is the out- growth of a general insurance and | | mortgage loan business started by | President J. M. Chernoft tn 1013, In | 1923 Mr. Chernoff organized the | | Fidelity Finance Corp. with a capi- | (talization of $50,000. 1In 1925 on | | Mr. Chernoff's recommendation the | directors organized the Fidelity In- ain public will be invited to help | ¥PiCh would embrace every feature | dustrial bank on the principle of the | dedicate to commerce and industry @ new banking institution. Satur- day, December 3, will see the launching of the city's newest bank, the Fidelity Industrial bank, in its own home for the first time, The bank will open the portals of fts new home on West Main street opposite the library. The opening will be marked by an officlal recep- tion and luncheon to directors and atockholders. The bank will be open for public inspection from & p. m. until 8 p. m. and officers of the in- stitution will be present to escort visitors through the building. Lunch- eon to stockholders will be from 7 until 9 o'clock. The new structure has been de- signed both in appearance and utili- ty along the most modern lines of banking institutions of this charac- ter, with exterior of dark red tupestry brick, a granite ashlar and limestone trim, and a simple yet neat interior treatment which af. fords the very best in the way of light, roominess and practical utili- ty The front and only entrance to the building fs through a vestibule with tile floor and paneled wainscoting, with concealed ceiling light. The entire bank quarters are on the main floor which comprises space and facilities for patrons to- gether with private and general of- fice spaces, ample for needs looking far into the future. The conference or directors’ room s located at the rear, and directly adjoining is the vault of steel and concrete construction with an ap- proved fire and burglar proof en- trance door. All interior floors are finished with rubber tile, surrounded by a marble base. Walls are of plastene finish, in imitation of travertine in a pale buft tint. The interior trim is of walnut to match the furnture and banking fixtures, which are of the latest design and eliminate the use of screens, The heating is by steam with con- cealed radiation, this being the first institution of its kind to adopt this new style of heating In a public building. Lighting fixtures have been select- | ed with the utmost care to provide an ample amount of soft light with- out glare. The bullding was erected by A. P. Teavitt from plans drawn by Max J. Unkelbach. The dosign and construction of the of industrial banking. The lay-out of the plans is designed to meet the requirements of a fast growing in- Istitution. | Considering the remarkable prog- {ress this bank has made, being only two years old, it still is a novel kind {of banking in the publle eye and to [find the Institution moving into its own home is something of a revela- [tion to many people. An innovation in modern banks, but being adopted as rapidly as new {banks are built, that of cageles ’(-(-\1nl‘~r. is embodied in thi [ture as well, (g0 that money and valuable yapers are out of sight and reach of the person on the opposite side of the counter, while the counter ltself forms no barrier between teller and patron. The top of the counter is at {level convenient to customer {clerk; money and papers are p |through bronze railings to a bank employ ot level over which Morris plan bank with a capitaliza- tion of $100,000. The bank and its affiliated corporation, the Fidelity \ Pinance Corp. now hive a total cap- ital and surplus of $451,60. Officers of the hank lows Joseph M Chernoft who {is one of the youngest bank P idents In the [ni States; viee-president, Michael W. Bannan {head of the O'Neil Tire and Batte {Co., and member of the hoard of po- {lice commissioners; treasurer, Clar- are as fol- ounters are designed who works on a counter of | shelving | projects, so that the transaction fs | Inot visible outside. Not only is great- er privacy obtained but the officials of the bank also feel that they get greater seccurity. They feel also ! Ithat the counter arrangement makes {for more intimate contact between ;omployu and customers, | The entrance door, beautiful in its iproportions and harmony with the general architectural conception is opened with a handle of one of the {distinctive Russwin designs, Vignola }guard all of the doors, with knobs |and escutcheons of Vignola design |throughout the building. Every ad- ditlon to convenience, security and {beauty that locks and hardware can give are taken full advantage of. {Rackliffe Bros Co., builders' hard- {ware department, Russwin agents, supplied this installation. Space for officers on the m banking floor give opportunity for confldential talks with visitors and yet are In close touch with the routine business, The fixtures of the bank are of attractive. The vault and burglar proof safe are of modern design and doubly safeguarded. Outside illumi- nation will be furnished by 2,000 candle powered lights, Another feature of the interlor is the Hart & Hutchison radiators. These are a new commodity on the market and the bank is the first commercial institution to adopt them, American walnut and are especially | | | jof Louis XVI Period.Russwin locks | J. M. CHERNOFF ence H. Maxon, member of the com- {mon council and minent in the Lions elub and 'ryman’s Bible class; assistant treasurer and secre- tary, Catherine M. Curtin. Miss Curtin is one of the few 1| women bank officials in the country, and is said to be one of the only [two women assistant treasurers in | Connecticut, | She is a graduate of the New Britain Seni h school, class of 1922, In 1823 she became assistant {treasurer of the Fidelit.- e {Corp. In 1926 she was elected as- {sistant treasurer of the Fidelity In- dustrial bank. The directors of the B. Rossherg, B. Wag: J. M. Chernoff, M. W. Bannan, Al- |fred Johnson, Cha . Lewis, C. {H. Maxon, T. H. Prisk, H. {E. M. Johnson, W. Kinne, Arbour and He P. B Here Is A Permanent Home Built To Stay We are now better than ever prepared to render that friendly service so characteristic of an industrial bank THE FIDEL Our Officers will always be glad to “talk it over with you” ITY INDUSTRIAL BANK Organized 1926 apital and Surplus $130,000