The Market Place at Bridgeport will soon see a new business opening and will also see additional development likely starting this year, it was revealed during Wednesday’s Bridgeport Development Authority meeting.

 

During the General Economic Development Update portion of the meeting, it was announced that the first building constructed at the site will see a new bank going into the building. Ironically, the building was constructed with a drive through that was made for a banking set up and never utilized.

 

Today the building, which is the one closest to the entrance to White Oaks, still has drive-through lanes. The space attached to it still has gravel on the floors and would need to be built out.

 

As for the bank, Community Development Director Andrea Kerr said after the meeting that it was First Guaranty Bank. The bank’s Web site lists its future arrival in Bridgeport as well as a digital billboard about Leeson’s Import Motors on Main Street. David Biafore of Metro Property Management – the developer of the site – confirmed Wednesday that was the new business as well. He said they will take up the entire first floor of the 1000 Building.

 

If the name does not sound familiar, there is a reason for it. The bank, which has been in business for 89 years, has most of its locations in Louisiana and Texas. Based on its location finder, this would be its first branch in West Virginia. The company has more than 30 branches and is expanding into the Mountain State, as well as Kentucky.

 

Kerr said there have been no permits issued for the project, and no timeline established. She said she has had discussions with Accelerated Construction Services (ACS) out of Morgantown. ACS has done all the projects at the site for the Metro Property Management along with work for others.

 

There is also no timeline for another project that she said will take place. Kerr said, and Biafora confirmed, that another building will be going up by the developer.

 

“It’s close to a 10,000 square foot shell building,” said Kerr. “They don’t have any tenants yet … and I do not know how they plan to break it down.”

 

Biafora said the building will be located near the structure housing Great Harvest Bakery and First Greene Mortgage. He added that it will be similar in nature and could host up to three tenants with a total square footage exceeding 9,000.

 

“There is nothing concrete yet, nothing officially signed, but we’re moving with a lot of activity there, and we have tenants close to signing in the remaining space in the building on the back of the property,” said Biafora of the site that houses Don Patron and Stone Tower Brews among others.

 

While Biafore could not disclose who was coming, he was able to say the types of businesses he has been negotiating with.

 

“A couple of food businesses, a medical business that is every interested, and a couple of retail type of businesses, along with a child development center that wants to be near the FBI, the hospital and White Oaks,” said Biafora, who added the businesses in question are both national and local. “The access is what makes that work. We’ve really got a lot going on right now and should have plenty more to say.”

 

Biafora said he hopes to see work begin on all projets soon, but like Kerr said there was no definitive timeline.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the bank drive through that will be utilized by the First Guaranty Bank, while the bottom photo shows an end loader in the site of the upcominb building. The back of Great Harvest can be seen on the far left of the image.