After quite a lot of advocacy from the neighborhood over the past year, Bank of America on Washington Street has fully renovated its ATM branch – with Washington Gateway Main Street (WGMS) proclaiming it a victory for the corridor.
A spokesman for Bank of America said they added a number of new banking capabilities, including video conferencing to better connect clients with banking specialists who can help them secure a mortgage, manage their small business or apply for a car loan.
Aesthetically, they upgraded the lighting to brighter, more efficient LED lights and improved the security at the location, which was a big concern of the neighborhood.
“These changes are part of Bank of America’s efforts to better serve our clients by investing in new financial center and ATM capabilities,” wrote Spokesman Trevor Koenig. “There is no one-size-bank-fits-all anymore, and we’re continuing to improve our financial center model to meet the evolving needs of our clients. The new look, feel and capabilities of our centers are intended to make them destinations that support our customers’ financial priorities.”
Randi Lathrop, board member at WGMS, said they simply wanted to activate and illuminate that corner.
“It’s really trying to get something going and revitalized on that cross corner area of Washington Street,” she said. “You have Bar Lyon coming and now Bank of America. Hopefully we can get something going at the Hotel Alexandra. That corner is a priority for WGMS.”
Koenig said they enjoy their partnership with the Main Streets program.
“Our partnership with the City of Boston Main Streets program, of which Washington Gateway is a member, represents a longstanding commitment to supporting Boston’s small business owners and entrepreneurs,” he wrote. “Our $100,000 investment in the Main Streets program, announced last June, is part of a long-standing commitment to the program that spans decades and includes support of Boston’s Small Business Center, a one-stop neighborhood resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs.”