Spokane-based Global Credit Union says it plans to build two stand-alone branches, one in North Spokane and the other in Coeur dAlene, within the next two years.


Global hasnt picked locations for the structures or how big theyll be and how many employees theyll have, but both will be full-service branches with drive-up windows, says Edward Neunherz, a senior vice president at the credit union.


We dont know which one will be built first, but we will build two and have the entire project completed within two years, says Neunherz. Our plan is to build one each year.


He says Wolfe Architectural Group PS, of Spokane, has created flexible designs for the branches, so that their sizes and the number of drive-up windows theyll have can be altered to fit the sites.


The next step is to buy the land, Neunherz says. We hope to have everything going in a couple months.


The planned new North Spokane stand-alone branch will replace a branch that closed last week in a Yokes Washington Foods Inc. supermarket at 14202 N. Market, in Mead, as well as a small branch currently operating in the Shadle Shopping Center, on west Wellesley Avenue, Neunherz says. Another North Side Global branch closed in 2004 when a Tidymans LLC supermarket in which it was located closed at 6401 N. Cedar.


The planned new branch in Coeur dAlene will replace another Tidymans in-store branch that moved to temporary space at 245 W. Appleway when that grocery store closed last year. A Global real estate mortgage office also is sharing space with the branch on Appleway, and will move to the new structure when its completed, Neunherz says.


He says the credit union maintains a good relationship with grocery stores and at strip malls where it has branches, but likes the idea of a quieter setting where clients can sit down and speak with loan officers. Global operates a stand-alone branch that also serves as its headquarters near downtown Spokane, at 1520 W. Third, and in Post Falls, Neunherz says.


Global already owns property at the southwest corner of Jefferson Street and Francis Avenue that it has been considering for the planned new North Spokane location, but is concerned that property might be too small to meet Globals need for a branch with drive-through windows, says Neunherz.


Global has nearly 50,000 members at 14 branches in Washington and Idaho and four on U.S. military bases in Italy. It has about $325 million in total assets and employs about 200 people.


Contact Rocky Wilson at (509) 344-1264 or via e-mail at rockyw@spokanejournal.com.