Aptly named, Greenville, South Carolina, is a vibrant community to live, work and thrive. Ranked #4 best place to live in 2024 by US News & World Report, it is situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, boosts a temperate climate, and features the Reedy River and a downtown waterfall.
The Upstate region, for which Greenville is the hub, is a community of over 1.5 million tucked into beautiful surroundings that encourage healthy living (both naturally and through initiatives like LiveWell Greenville, which increases access to healthy eating and active living).
When United Community Bank was looking for a new location for its headquarters, the accessible downtown Greenville spot near Falls Park on Reedy River and the Swamp Rabbit Trail made sense. After all, the institution leans into the word community in numerous ways.
Employees, customers, and guests are all treated the same; the building features local and regional artisans throughout its space; and the outdoors is visible inside through floor-to-ceiling windows, indoor-outdoor spaces, and a grand staircase that encourages movement and interaction.
“The goal for the project was to create a place where the people who work for the bank and their customers wanted to be, so that the bank could foster relationships between people to support a higher-level goal of creating the best environment so [United Community] could have the best bankers so that they could have the best bank,” explained K.J. Jacobs, principal at McMillan Pazdan Smith, architecture firm on the project.
Opened in March 2024, the bank’s headquarters was awarded South Carolina’s first WELL Certification, a testament to prioritizing community health and wellness, while providing a desirable working space. The United Community headquarters achieved a Bronze-level rating based on seven building performance categories: Air, Water, Light, Nourishment, Fitness, Comfort, and Mind.
Wellbeing Was Always a Project Priority
While project stakeholders didn’t specifically start with the goal to achieve WELL certification, a focus on wellbeing was always important, noted Jason Lynch, the bank’s director of facilities and purchasing. “The recognition means being part of a community that values health, sustainability, and progressive design, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose,” he said.
Applying for WELL certification came into play once the group realized that, based on the bank’s goals for the project, it would be a natural fit. When reviewing WELL’s score sheet, Mary Lewis Huffman, project designer at McMillan Pazdan Smith, realized most items were meeting WELL Building Standard v2.
The WELL Certification supports the bank’s mission of being a great place for people to work, and the building is a state-of-the-art facility where employee health—mind, body, and wellbeing—is supported, said Holly Berry, Chief Human Resources Officer, United Community Bank. “Being South Carolina’s first WELL certified building amplifies the significance to our employees, customers and community,” she stated.
Healthy Amenities and Details Throughout
The seven-story, 118,000-square-foot building includes office space for the company’s executive leadership team and about 300 employees. Wellness features throughout the space include quiet zones, a variety of seating options to gather, conference rooms, a break room on each level, a coffee bar, and showers to clean up after enjoying the outdoors.
Two terraces are important community spaces for the bank: “We’re in the South, people love to be outside, Greenville’s an outdoor city,” Jacobs said. “Those two spaces provide endless value, not just to stop and look at views of different places in the city, but for the employees to use during the day, or to host for entertaining.”
In accordance with WELL certification Nourishment requirements, United Community had to become intentional and mindful of what they offered, but many of the other needs—for example, access to mental health counseling, access to mothers’ rooms, etc.—were already part of the culture. The award is recognition for many programs or amenities the bank already had in place.
An eye-catching spot in the building is a set of staircases that encourage movement and connection. Designed in a way that allows maximum light to flow through and across the three floors it connects, it features open slats on the stairs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and glass railings and ledges. Designed and created by South Carolina-based Heirloom Companies, the staircase is also lit by glass globes suspended from the ceiling by a regional artist based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Throughout the building, a muted interior scheme allows artwork by local and regional artists to provide visual impact. “It’s almost like you’re going into a gallery or museum; it’s so cool to experience the art,” Huffman said.
Enhancing Lives in the Community and State
Just like who the bank is serving, it took a community committed to wellness to create South Carolina’s first WELL-recognized building. Alongside bank stakeholders and McMillan Pazdan Smith, developer Steve Navarro with The Furman Co. brought previous wellness experience.
“Steve has a long history with sustainable projects. He understands the intrinsic value, from an owner’s perspective,” Jacobs said, and incorporated it alongside Harper General Contractors for construction.
The certification in itself, notes the bank’s HR officer Berry, brings together the community. “Being part of South Carolina’s first such certification adds an extra layer of significance, marking a step forward in the state’s development and fostering a sense of pride and community among our employees and customers,” she said. “Being in a WELL Certified building enhances daily life through thoughtful design and health-focused features.”
