SIGNATURE MONTANA | 17
those concerns, ultimately paving the way to make the
cleanup and development process potentially simpler
for future projects in the area.
e bank also made a land-swap deal with the City
of Great Falls that ultimately resulted in the expansive
River's Edge Trail being extended to connect with
the south end of the historic 10th Street Bridge.
"Being able to open the bridge to the River's Edge Trail
– that is a huge deal," noted Chad Simonson, president
of the Great Falls Branch of Independence Bank.
"is is such an important trail for the community,
and it was so important to us to support that,"
Christopher agreed.
Independence Bank's Great Falls branch broke ground
on August 1, 2021, and officially opened to the public
on August 15, 2022.
"We wanted a contemporary look for the exterior,
but we also wanted to blend it with the traditional
appearance of a bank," Stuff said. "We decided to use
copper penny panels for the three corner towers."
e juxtaposition of the eye-catching copper and the
darker, gray-neutral tones encompassing the other two-
thirds of the exterior strikes a perfect balance.
DESIGN DECADENT
The minimalist design of the work areas are both sleek and functional.
