United Community headquarters becomes South Carolina’s first WELL Certified building
The United Center is the very first project in South Carolina to receive this certification, which is the premier building standard focused on enhancing the health and well-being of employees in the facility.
"From the very beginning, we wanted to design this building with the purpose of bringing people together in a space that encouraged collaboration," said CEO and Chairman Lynn Harton. "The environment where you work sets the table for success, and we are proud to have provided our talented team with a space they feel they can thrive in."
Created through seven years of rigorous research and development that included working with leading physicians, scientists and industry professionals, the WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research.
The United Center earned the distinction based on seven categories of building performance — Air, Water, Light, Nourishment, Fitness, Comfort and Mind — and achieved a Bronze-level rating.
"Earning this certification is the result of extraordinary efforts on behalf of multiple individuals who came together in this project with a vision and pursuit of excellence," said Chief Human Resources Officer Holly Berry. "This building is a state-of-the-art facility that showcases our focus on the health of our employees – their minds, bodies, and entire well-being.”
Completed in March of 2024, the United Center is a $65 million investment that houses the bank's entire executive leadership team and more than 300 United employees in a 118,000-square-foot space. The seven-story building features a gathering space with a coffee bar, quiet zones with seating areas to encourage collaboration, nearly 30 conference rooms, multiple mothers’ rooms and a café break room on each floor. Additionally, it has access to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and two terraces allowing for employees to easily get fresh air throughout the day.
The United Center was developed by Steve Navarro with The Furman Co., McMillan Pazdan Smith was the architect and construction was led by Harper General Contractors.
“The special requests from the team at United Community presented a wealth of exciting opportunities,” said Steve Navarro, president of The Furman Co. “Beyond LEED and other building enhancements, WELL improves productivity through better indoor environments. This is an extraordinary commitment to the health and well-being of employees and is paramount for recruitment and retention. We were proud to be part of this vision and are excited to see it come to life and be awarded for it.”
“It was evident from early in our collaboration with United Community's leadership team that they truly prioritize the health and safety of their people,” says K.J. Jacobs, principal at McMillan Pazdan Smith. “WELL provided an excellent framework for this project’s wellness goals, and United should be commended for their commitment to earning the certification.”
About United Community Banks, Inc.
United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) is the financial holding company for United Community, a top 100 U.S. financial institution that is committed to improving the financial health and well-being of its customers and the communities it serves. United Community provides a full range of banking, wealth management and mortgage services. As of December 31, 2024, United Community Banks, Inc. had $27.7 billion in assets, 199 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as a national SBA lending franchise and a national equipment lending subsidiary. In 2024, United Community became a 10-time winner of J.D. Power’s award for the best customer satisfaction among consumer banks in the Southeast region and was recognized as the most trusted bank in the Southeast. In 2024, United was named by American Banker as one of the “Best Banks to Work For” for the eighth consecutive year and was recognized in the Greenwich Excellence and Best Brands Awards, receiving 15 awards that included national honors for overall satisfaction in small business banking and middle market banking. Forbes has also consistently listed United Community as one of the World’s Best Banks and one of America’s Best Banks. Additional information about United can be found at ucbi.com.
