Guild Mortgage starts expansion

MOSES LAKE - An expansion and remodel project is underway at Guild Mortgage.

Crews began working at the Moses Lake business earlier this week, Branch Manager Larry Shannon said. The plan is to add 660 square feet to the existing building as well as remodel it, he said.

The building is currently about 1,400 square feet.

Shannon said the expansion will create room for two new offices and a conference room. More off-street parking will be available for customers as a result as well, he said.

Much of the remodel will involve making the building more ADA accessible, Shannon said. There will be a dedicated parking stall next to the entrance and the office's bathroom will also be a little bigger.

"Access will be much easier all the way around," he said.

While crews broke ground this week, the plan to expand and remodel has been in the works since last December.

"This needed to be done," Shannon said. "We were expanding, growing every year and doing more and more business."

The current office space has a reception area, four offices, a bathroom and break room. However, with seven employees, the office was getting a little crowded, he said.

"We'll have six offices, and a conference room which we've never had," Shannon said. "We'll also expand the processing area so there's more room."

Shannon said the project should be completed by next January. Crews will work first on enclosing the new addition and then move in toward the existing building.

Some of the work will be done on weekends, so customers and employees aren't disturbed, he said.

Shannon said he upgraded the interior of the building when he purchased it in 2003. Most of that work involved putting in new insulation, he said.

The building has housed a mortgage office since 1992, Shannon said.

Shannon moved to the office in 1999, but it didn't become Guild Mortgage until 2009, he said.

Despite the changes, business has gone well throughout the years, Shannon said.

"Moses Lake has been very good to us," he said.