Community Financial Credit Union

Construction began in late January on a new 3,500-square-foot location for Community Financial Credit Union. Located on East Walnut Lawn near National Avenue, the structure is being built by general contractor DuWayne Eoff. Bill Derington is the architect for the project. The cost of the construction is estimated to be between $750,000 and $1 million. It will have all features of the credit union's main branch at 815 W. Tampa, plus safe-deposit boxes. It also will have four drive-up windows and a full-service ATM. The new south-side location, which should be finished by fall, will add eight to 10 staff members to Community Financial's existing employee base of 24. It also will add later evening hours and Saturday hours. The credit union serves 12,000 members of select employer groups in nine southwest Missouri counties. The decision to build on the south side was three years in the making. The need for a south-side location was confirmed by a 2001 member survey.