Although the project has experienced some delays because of facility redesign, a proposed $20 million expansion by BB&T in Whiteville is still a go and will not be affected by a merger with SunTrust Bank, a BB&T official said last week.
David R. White, vice president of corporate communication for BB&T, confirmed Friday that the bank remains committed to Whiteville and the new building. “BB&T continues to move forward with the Whiteville facility project and has been working diligently on many of the planning aspects for the new building,” White said.
“Recently, we received and are reviewing bids for a project general contractor.” Although BB&T submitted plans for approval to the Whiteville Planning Department several months ago, the bank asked that the plans be returned to them so that some design changes could be incorporated.
City Planning Director Robert Lewis said Monday that he hasn’t received or heard anything about the project from BB&T since then. An October announcement said that BB&T would consolidate its Whiteville area operations into a new $20 million facility at the intersection of J.K. Powell Boulevard and West Columbus Street.
The 100,000-sq. ft building will house 500 BB&T employees who currently work in nine locations in the area, including the Client Care Center on U.S. 701 North. In February, BB&T announced it will merge with SunTrust Bank and operate under the new name of Truist Bank, which will be headquartered in Charlotte.
The merger is expected to close before the end of the year. BB&T’s White emphasized that the merger does not affect plans for expansion in Whiteville and that work will proceed after construction bids
