On Friday, July 9, 2010, the Main Office of Carver State Bank at 701 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard will close at 1:00 p.m., and will re-open on Monday, July 12, 2010, at a temporary banking facility next door to the bank at the rear of St. Philip A.M. E. Church.

The Food Lion store will face north toward St. Philip A. M. E. Church where the supermarket will share a parking lot with the church and bank. This move could signal a transition, not just for Carver, but for an entire section of Savannah that has been bypassed by significant investments since Carver State Bank moved to the area in 1975. Unlike Broughton Street and the northern end of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., the other sections of this historic corridor have not been enhanced by any major capital infusion and redevelopment.

Now, after almost 35 years of providing banking services from its Main Office, the old Carver State Bank building will be cleared to make way for an exciting new development. Because of the participation of the adjoining property owner, St. Philip A.M.E. Church, a new office for the bank and a full service Food Lion grocery store will soon become part of the area’s landscape.

Carver Commons will include a new office for Carver State Bank that will face Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. The new project, to be known as Carver Commons, will have two tenants, Carver State Bank and Food Lion, the fourth largest grocery chain in the United States. The project could have a major impact on the uplift and long-term viability of the surrounding neighborhoods by stimulating additional commercial development.

The public is invited to a Groundbreaking Ceremony to be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 22, 2010, at 701 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

On July 28, 2010, The Savannah Tribune will publish a special edition highlighting the project and its potential impact on the surrounding areas.

For the convenience of its customers, Carver will operate during construction from a temporary facility that is only a few yards from the site of the old building. The bank's mailing address and telephone numbers will be unchanged.

This development enjoys the support of a broad array of community leaders, and during a host of public meetings reviewing the project plans, there has been no opposition. Both the Savannah Historic District Board of Review and the Zoning Appeals Board unanimously approved the proposed new development.

Rev. Dr. John Foster, Pastor of St. Philip A. M. E. Church, called the project a blessing not just for his Church and Carver State Bank, but the entire community. He said that the area surrounding St. Philip and Carver is an urban “food desert” with a lack of affordable, high quality nutritious food choices and a high incidence of chronic health issues that can be mitigated with more healthful food options.

He added that this new development will create jobs and bring a quality provider of reasonably priced food to this low income, inner city neighborhood.

Carver President Robert E. James agreed that the new development should be beneficial for the bank and significantly enhance the surrounding neighborhoods.

“We recognize that changes in the banking industry, as well as changes in Carver's market, have affected the Bank, and moving to this new building is appropriate for the strategic direction of our organization,” he said. “The new development will provide a more efficient office and enhance the bank's visibility on Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.,” he added.

David Douse, the bank's Vice President and Senior Operations Officer, called the project a “forward-looking move.” He noted that it will enhance security for our staff and increase the bank's service capacity.

Carver State Bank was founded in 1927, and is currently one of only about 33 African-American-owned and operated commercial banks in the United States. It is the only bank headquartered in Savannah that is certified by the United States Treasury Department as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

Carver has enjoyed a tremendous heritage within the Savannah-Chatham County area as an innovative financial service leader for more than 83 years.