BALTIMORE, Md., Sept. 28, 2012 – PNC Bank and community leaders today celebrate the company’s five-year anniversary in the region by unveiling the largest “living wall” in Maryland at the new regional headquarters downtown.
“Through hiring, lending, volunteerism and community investments, PNC is committed to downtown Baltimore and Greater Maryland,” said Laura Gamble, regional president, PNC Bank, Greater Maryland. “Our ongoing hiring and business expansion combined with our new regional headquarters exemplify our dedication to growth in this region and helping to create vibrant, thriving communities.”
On Sept. 18, 2007, PNC announced the successful conversion of 231 Mercantile Bankshares branches and 500,000 customers. Since then, the bank has made a considerable impact in terms of growth. This includes expansion with branches inside 27 Giant Food stores and ATMs in six Harris Teeter stores, as well as five newly constructed branches across the state. Major clients include Under Armour, Towson University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. PNC continues to hire across all businesses, including substantial growth of its wealth management division with recent expansion on the Eastern Shore and additional offices planned in Annapolis and Towson in 2013.
Community Impact
Since 2007, PNC also has invested more than $18 million in Greater Maryland through grants and support to nonprofit organizations. As part of Grow Up Great, PNC’s $350 million, multiyear initiative to help prepare children for success in school and life, local PNC employees have volunteered nearly 19,000 hours at preschool programs. As a result, employees have earned more than $89,000 in grants for the preschool programs they support. Major grant recipients include the Y of Central Maryland and the Maryland Science Center.
In 2008, PNC launched its Community Development Banking efforts to boost the quality of life in low-and-moderate income neighborhoods through affordable housing, economic revitalization and customized financial solutions. In addition to grants to nonprofit organizations, PNC employees presented more than 200 financial education classes to teach budgeting, savings and other aspects of smart money management.
Today’s celebration also commemorates the following milestones:
- PNC Plants Roots at New Regional Headquarters: The commitment to downtown Baltimore is reaffirmed with the relocation of the local headquarters to One East Pratt Street. PNC occupies four floors and a branch on the ground level, which are expected to achieve LEED® certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Features include: energy-efficient lighting (24 percent less electricity used for lighting); water efficiency (30 percent reduction in water waste); and use of recycled materials (including steel studs, ceiling tiles, drywall, carpet and furniture). The space maximizes natural daylight and provides more than 90 percent of employees with direct views of the outdoors, reducing energy use and improving employee satisfaction.
- Living Wall: Emblematic of its commitment to green building, PNC has installed the largest “living wall” in Maryland on the headquarters building. Serving as an icon for PNC’s new office space, the wall is 84 feet high by 24 feet wide and covers 2,016 square feet. It consists of 504 vertical planters made of recyclable aluminum, each filled with hardy ground cover plants – formed to display a tree with the PNC logo at the base. The wall adds a vibrant, visual element to the building façade while contributing to the energy efficiency of the building.
- Historical Display: Following the acquisition of Mercantile, the PNC Legacy Project was created to honor, document and preserve the history of predecessor banks, the employees who guided them and the communities they served. In Baltimore, the stories of these banks are told through museum-quality exhibits featuring rare and historic documents and wall coverings. The collection includes images from the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, an adding machine dating to 1895 and historical documents from the Civil War, including a copy of the ransom note for the city of Frederick.
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.
CONTACT:
Nicole Berger
(410) 237-5112
nicole.berger@pnc.com
