Sandia Area FCU breaks ground on two new New Mexico branches

Construction crews broke ground on two new bank branches in Bernalillo County this week. Sandia Area Federal Credit Union is building the new locations in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Both sites are scheduled to open in late 2027.

The expansion will bring the credit union's total number of branches to nine. The Albuquerque branch will open at 1105 Snow Vista SW. The Rio Rancho branch will be located at 4551 Safelite NE, near the U.S. 550 corridor.

Kevin Todd, the CEO and President of Sandia Area, said the credit union serves nine counties in New Mexico. The institution holds more than $1.4 billion in assets. This makes it the fourth-largest credit union in the state. Todd said the credit union has roughly 69,000 members. He noted that the customer base has grown by about 7 percent annually in recent years.

Todd said much of that growth has occurred through online banking. However, the credit union also wanted to expand its physical presence. The goal is to build face-to-face connections with customers. Todd stated that both new sites were chosen because they are areas of growing populations. He added that both locations are heavy commuter corridors.

Both new locations will operate as full-service branches with drive-thrus. Each building will contain four to five offices. The Rio Rancho site will also include a 12-person conference room. That space can be reserved for local events. The design aims for an open feel rather than traditional teller lines and bulletproof glass.

Sandia Area last added a new site in February 2022. That was when the Santa Fe branch opened. Since then, renovations have been underway at several existing branches. The credit union aims to modernize its spaces. Three sites have already received the new look. The Coors Branch reopened with these changes this weekend.

Momentum, an architecture firm that specializes in credit union branches, designed the new locations. The firm created the plans to ensure the buildings have the same modern feel as the renovated sites. Todd said Sandia Area is currently looking for another site in the Albuquerque area. The credit union hopes to build a tenth branch at that location.