PHOTO BY RUTH FRY Under construction, the Woodlands Bank in Hughesville is getting a new facelift that will restore the building to look similar to its original appearance when it was built in the early 1900s.

HUGHESVILLE – Look for a new facelift soon at Woodlands Bank in Hughesville. Located on the corner of Main and Water Streets, the historic building will look very similar to the original building constructed in the early 1900s. A top front section of siding placed in the 50s was removed first to expose the original brick. After removing the old front, the building was pressure washed and old stone restored.

“We kept the ramp and built it up with new decorative pillars,” said Jon Conklin, CEO and President of Woodlands Bank who was in the building on Friday to check on the progress. As the front is surrounded with scaffolding he explained, “We are using material (drivet) to replace the old stone.”

New pediment was added and a faux finish to look like the original stonework.

Additional outside lighting with sconces on the Water Street side will be added to match the borough’s street lights. A new concrete sidewalk that used to be stepping stones was added on the south side next to Sheila Barto’s gift shop, and front downlighting will splash towards the outside of the building with new landscaping.

Customers can view the original building that was owned by First National Bank in Hughesville from a large print mounted inside the bank along with other historical photos. “We found these photos and an old general (leather bound) ledger from 1890 in the basement,” said Michelle Lawson, Branch Manager. She had some of the photos enlarged, touched up and professionally framed on the inside walls. There is also a rendering of the new building on the front window for viewing from outside.

With before and after images President and CEO Jon Conklin and Branch Manager Michelle Lawson of Woodlands Bank show the development of the restoration phases of the historic building that has always been a bank.

“An open house is being planned and hopefully we will have everything ready by the end of October,” Conklin said. This is the third and final phase of the project that started in January 2014. The inside was done first, then the back of the building was completed by improving the drive thru and adding 8 parking spaces for customers, including one that is handicap accessible. “There were none before and the drive-thru took up space,” Lawson added. To accommodate parking, a new drive thru was moved closer to the building. Lawson also said that the drive-thru window is monitored electronically from the inside. “Customers can see us and we can see them.”