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Dollar Bank

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Dollar Bank
Company typeMutual Society
IndustryFinancial Services
Founded1855
HeadquartersPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Key people
Robert Oeler, President and CEO
RevenueIncrease$5.7 billion (2009)
Number of employees
1,300
Websitehttp://www.dollarbank.com
Dollar Savings Bank
Dollar Bank headquarters
Location4th Ave. and Smithfield St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Area0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
ArchitectIsaac H. Hobbs & Sons
Architectural styleBeaux Arts
NRHP reference No.76001594[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJuly 14, 1976
Designated PHLF1970[2]

Dollar Bank is a full-service regional bank serving both individuals and business customers, operating more than 50 branch offices and loan centers throughout the southwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio metropolitan areas. The bank’s Pennsylvania headquarters is located in downtown Pittsburgh and Ohio headquarters is located in downtown Cleveland. Dollar Bank was the largest independent mutual bank in the nation as of March 2009.[3][4]

History

Founding

Beginning July 19, 1855, Charles A. Colton opened the "Pittsburgh Dollar Savings Institution".[5] The first day's deposits totaled $53.[5] On September 4, 1858, Pittsburgh Dollar Savings Institution was renamed "The Dollar Savings Bank."[5]

First Office

The Dollar Savings Bank’s Fourth Avenue Building was opened in March 1871[5] and is still in operation today. The architect was Isaac H. Hobbs & Sons of Philadelphia. The building was constructed using 1,400 tons of brownstone, quarried in Connecticut, pink Quincy Granite and significant amounts of Marble and Brass.

In 1871, two stone lions were placed at the front door of the Fourth Avenue Building, as symbols of guardianship of the people’s money.[5] The stately lions guarding the entrance were sculpted by Max Kohler,[5] each from a single block of quarry-bedded brownstone. A project to restore the lions began in September 2009.[6][7]

The Board Room was added to The Dollar Savings Bank’s Fourth Avenue Building in 1896 at a cost of $37,981.[5]

In 1906, the East and West wings were added to The Dollar Savings Bank’s Fourth Avenue Building.[5]

  • Forth Avenue Building Sketch
    Forth Avenue Building Sketch
  • Fourth Avenue Building - Exterior
    Fourth Avenue Building - Exterior
  • Fourth Avenue Building - Board Room
    Fourth Avenue Building - Board Room

The Great Depression

During the 1930s, the main lobby was redecorated.[5] Lighting fixtures were replaced, the teller counter altered and the interior repainted.

In 1931, $1 million in cash was brought to the bank office floor to prove the availability of customers' funds during the depression.[5] During this difficult economic time, The Dollar Savings Bank never closed.[5] On November 1, 1949, The Dollar Savings Bank had assets at book value of over $100 million.[5] In 1938, the original vault in The Dollar Savings Bank’s Fourth Avenue Building was relocated to the basement of the building to make room for the Trustee Boards Anteroom.[5]

The vault was installed after the St. Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936, which devastated downtown Pittsburgh. The Dollar Savings Bank wanted a new vault that was not only fireproof but also flood-proof.

  • Fourth Avenue Building - Main Lobby
    Fourth Avenue Building - Main Lobby
  • Fourth Avenue Building - Main Lobby
    Fourth Avenue Building - Main Lobby
  • Fourth Avenue Office Vault
    Fourth Avenue Office Vault

Expansion

Current Dollar Bank branch footprint in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

The Dollar Savings Bank bought the Boyd Building in February 1950.[5] The bank used the first two floors of the space and the rest of the building was leased.[5]

In 1956, The Dollar Savings Bank purchased the DeRoy Building and converted the first floor for bank use, expanding the Fourth Avenue Building footprint.[5] This building was demolished in 1970 and the space became a pedestrian plaza.

In the 1960s, Fourth Avenue Building’s cupola skylights were filled in, the interior was repainted and the teller counter was altered to make it one level surface.[5]

  • Smithfield Expansion - Boyd Building
    Smithfield Expansion - Boyd Building
  • Smithfield Expansion - DeRoy Building
    Smithfield Expansion - DeRoy Building
  • Fourth Avenue Building - Main Lobby Redecorated
    Fourth Avenue Building - Main Lobby Redecorated

Early Technology

The Dollar Savings Bank opened its first branch office on June 29, 1961 in the Oliver Building and entered the computer age with its first online electronic bank accounting system in Pennsylvania and one of the first ten in the United States on November 30, 1964.[5]

In 1976, The Dollar Savings Bank introduced pay-by-phone as the first bill payment system of its kind in Pennsylvania and second in the United States.[5] The Dollar Savings Bank reached $1 billion in assets and on July 14 of that year The Dollar Savings Bank's Fourth Avenue Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

The Dollar Savings Bank installed its first Automated teller machine (ATM) in 1977[5] and in 1978 free retail checking accounts, called "NOW accounts", were offered for the first time.[5] In July 1981, The Dollar Savings Bank began to offer accounts and services tailored to the needs of businesses.[5]

Market Expansion

On September 20, 1984, The Dollar Savings Bank acquired Continental Federal Savings and Loan Bank and offered banking services to the Cleveland, Ohio area.[5] In a deal brokered by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, The Dollar Savings Bank acquired the troubled Cleveland-based thrift and within two years, a combination of government guarantees against losses and new investment returned Continental to profitability. That same year, Continental's name was changed to Dollar Bank and The Dollar Savings Bank was renamed to "Dollar Bank".[5] Dollar Bank began offering term loans, lines of credit and Credit cards in 1986.[5]

The first Dollar Bank Loan Center was opened in Murrysville, Pennsylvania on January 18, 1994.[5] Dollar Bank's "Win-Win Home Equity Adjustable Rate Loan" was launched as the first loan of its kind in March 1994.[5] Dollar Bank became the 16th bank in the country to offer online banking via the Internet in March 1997.[5] Dollar Bank initiates the "Freedom ATM Alliance" surcharge free network, a group of 29 banks that joined together on January 4, 1999.[5] The goal of the Alliance is to provide surcharge-free ATM alternatives to customers. Banks entering the Alliance agree not to surcharge the customers of any other Alliance member at their ATMs.

National Recognition

On April 6, 1998, the Dollar Bank online banking service was inducted into the 1998 Computerworld Smithsonian Innovation Collection.[5]

Product Development

In January 2005, the Dollar Bank CD Ladder was launched as the first CD of its kind.[5] Laddering is based upon the premise of not putting all money in a single CD. By dividing money between CD terms ranging from short to long, CDs with a range of yields that reflect market expectations for the future direction of interest rates are purchased.

Dollar Bank was the first to offer Text messaging on June 19, 2007[5] and mobile online banking was introduced on June 5, 2008.[5]

On March 11, 2009, Dollar Bank introduced Reverse mortgages to provide financial help to seniors.[5]

Recent Developments

In July, 2012, Dollar Bank was the first financial institution in the region to release Video Personal Teller Machines. This allows customers to speak to a live teller during non-traditional banking hours.

On July 19, 2005, Dollar Bank celebrated 150 years as a financial institution.[5]

On June 5, 2007, Dollar Bank elected new Chief Executive Officer, Robert Oeler.[5][8] A 34-year employee of the bank,[8] Mr. Oeler became President and Chief Operating Officer in April 2007.[8] Prior to that, he held the title of Executive Vice President since 1992.[8]

Dollar Bank opened a new Ohio headquarters at The Galleria at Erieview in Cleveland, Ohio on July 28, 2008.[4][5] The new two-story, glass-enclosed structure at East Ninth and St. Clair measures 21,000 sq ft (2,000 m2).[4][5] The new space houses a branch office, a Private Banking Center and a training facility on the first floor, with retail operational support on the second.[4][5] Opened in early August, the new facility anchors the Galleria and revitalized one of Cleveland's most prominent urban centers.[4][5]

Operations

As of May 31, 2009, Dollar Bank's liquid assets, consisting of $86 million in cash and cash equivalents and $949 million in market value of securities available for sale, and $22 million in trading securities, stood at $1.1 billion or 24% of deposits.[9]

All financial institutions must meet certain minimum net worth requirements. Dollar Bank is considered “well capitalized,” the highest category of capitalization under the regulatory framework of the Office of Thrift Supervision. Dollar Bank’s core capital amounted to $559.8 million, an increase of $21.8 million over the previous year.[9] It should be noted that both major market areas (Pittsburgh and Cleveland) have lost over 50% of their populations since 1950.

Business banking

Dollar Bank’s corporate and small business products and services include checking and savings accounts and financing, cash management, leasing, private banking, real estate lending and business credit cards. Dollar Bank business services include the CashAnalyzer Management System to access accounts through the Internet or direct dial via modem.

Subsidiaries

Dollar Bank has several subsidiary businesses including:

  • Dollar Bank Servicing Center services loans and mortgages
  • Dollar Bank Insurance Agency, Inc provides Term life insurance products
  • Flenniken Settlement Service, Inc provides title related services to Dollar Bank's customers for real estate transactions, both commercial and residential

Notable buildings

Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh

Dollar Bank's official headquarters is currently at 3 Gateway Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.[10][11] Its old headquarters building at 340 Fourth Avenue in Pittsburgh is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009 (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  3. ^ fdic.gov: mutual institutions. Retrieved on 2009-03-31.
  4. ^ a b c d e Reuters: Dollar Bank Opens Ohio Headquarters in the Galleria 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao dollarbank.com: About / Timeline
  6. ^ Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Downtown Dollar Bank's lions leave 138-year perch 2009-09-13. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  7. ^ Pittsburgh Arts Council: Pittsburgh Art in Public Places (PDF), Downtown Walking Tour. Page 13. Retrieved 2009-20-21.
  8. ^ a b c d Dollar Bank: Dollar Bank Elects New CEO 2007-06-05. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  9. ^ a b Dollar Bank 2009 Semi-Annual Statement of Condition. Dated: May 31, 2009.
  10. ^ LinkedIn. Found: 2010-01-04.
  11. ^ Hoovers, a D&B company. Found: 2010-01-04.
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