Having already added more than 70,000 new customers in 2017, Marlborough-based Digital Federal Credit Union is now looking to bulk up its workforce.
DCU announced in a statement this morning that the company had purchased the building at 297 Billerica Road in Chelmsford, the former headquarters of Kronos, and will use the space to support existing administrative operations.
The expansion will provide the $8-billion-asset credit union with needed space to add to its rapidly growing employee base, already 1,200 strong, at its two offices in Marlborough, satellite call center in Lowell and Fintech Innovation Center in Boston.
DCU Spokesperson John Lahair told Banker & Tradesman that the company could use the new building to house current DCU employees who live in the area, in addition to the new employees the company plans to hire. The new location will allow DCU to tap into the Greater Chelmsford and Southern New Hampshire areas to expand its workforce.
DCU will host a job fair on Wednesday, Sept., 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. inside the Chelmsford Radisson Hotel and Suites’ Grand Ballroom. Interviews will be conducted onsite to fill openings at DCU’s Chelmsford and Lowell offices – those with call center experience are encouraged to attend.
“We believe it is important to strengthen our impact in the communities we serve, live and work in,” Laurie LaChapelle, DCU’s vice president of finance and chair of DCU for Kids, the credit union’s nonprofit charitable foundation, said in a statement. “DCU is committed to making a difference beyond traditional banking for our members and employees. We look at this expansion to be mutually beneficial to the local economy and DCU.”
DCU will be located in one of the critical employment centers of the 495-technology corridor along Route 129 at the intersection of Route 3 and Route 495, and will be joining a number of existing industry clusters including defense and homeland security, communications and software, life sciences and analytical instruments.
“A primary locational decision factor for DCU was the ability for the future expansion of the building and/or parking,” Evan Belansky, Chelmsford’s director of community development, said in a statement. “I was pleased to inform DCU that the newly adopted Route 129 zoning overlay not only accommodates future building expansion but specifically incentivizes the construction of parking structures based upon the overlay’s flexible zoning.”
DCU has over 2,500 members in Chelmsford and nearly 42,000 within a 10-mile radius of the town.
“This is a big win for the town of Chelmsford and our effort to revitalize 623 acres of prime commercial property along the Route 3 corridor,” Donald Van Dyne, Chelmsford’s chairman of the Economic Development Commission, added in a statement. “DCU’s commitment and investment in Chelmsford and the creation of new jobs exemplifies our vision for healthy economic development. We look forward to partnering with DCU.”
DCU plans to start renovations as early as this month, and has already engaged the services of Chelmsford-based ahp Architects for the work. The building is ideally suited and is comparable in size to their Marlborough facilities.
“The three story, 129,000 square foot office building was custom designed as the corporate headquarters for Kronos,” Garry Holmes, president of R.W. Holmes Realty Co., Inc, said in a statement. “The finishes are impeccable and the building includes numerous collaboration spaces, state-of-the-art data center, outdoor grilling and seating, training rooms, in house café and shower/locker rooms. The building is literally in move-in condition and creates a tremendous environment for DCU employees.”
DCU expects to occupy the space in the first quarter of 2018.
