Peoples Bank
Holyoke, MA
Western Builders, along with O’Connell Development Group, has revitalized and repurposed a former Holyoke landmark while retaining its historic architectural beauty.
The Queen Anne-style home, originally known as the Hildreth House, was built in 1875 by John Hildreth, president and treasurer of the bank that eventually became People’s Bank. Following his death, and decades as the highly regarded Yankee Pedlar Inn – Peoples Bank bought the property and hired Western Builders to lead the re-development effort.
An important component of the project was the preservation of the form of the original Hildreth House while providing modern interior accommodations for the banking operations. The project included removing many of the mid-to-late 20th century alterations and additions that had been made to the home, as well as the removal of several buildings on the property. A new structure, reminiscent of a barn once located on the property, was built as the main customer/teller area and connected to the Hildreth House via a glass and steel corridor. The wraparound porch of the Hildreth House, which had previously been enclosed, was recreated including the exterior bay windows. The main building now houses a community room as well as back of house support and storage spaces.
