Historic Warren Main Street announced plans to repurpose the former PNC Bank building on N. Wayne Street in downtown Warren. The historic landmark was donated by PNC Bank with the intent it would be used by Historic Warren for economic revitalization through support for entrepreneurs and artists in the community.
“PNC is committed to strengthening and serving our communities. This project allows us to help preserve a piece of Main Street and help fuel viability for business development, job creation and other community engagement critical to the long-term economic vitality of small towns like Warren,” said Corinna Ladd, PNC regional president of northern Indiana.
The building will be renamed “The Exchange” and converted to provide much-needed space to house business incubators, specialized retailers, professional office space and entrepreneurs. Other plans include designating space for an art gallery and studios to showcase regional talent, including local students.
“We are grateful to PNC Bank. This generous donation helps us re-energize our downtown commercial district and position us for economic growth,” said Steve Buzzard, Warren Town Council president. “By creating a dedicated space to amplify how we attract talent, we hope to inspire new residents and visitors to consider Warren as a place they would like to live, work and visit.”
Since 2011, Historic Warren Main Street has helped support community and economic development efforts for the town.
“We are excited to honor our local history by reviving “The Exchange” and preserving a prized community asset that will encourage use of the commercial space,” said Becky Souder, Historic Warren secretary. “This donation becomes a game changer that helps us continue our mission as we retain a critical block of our downtown corridor.”
Other organizations, including the Town of Warren, Indiana, Huntington County Economic Development (HCED), Huntington County Chamber of Commerce, Huntington County Community Foundation, Indiana Landmarks and Historic Preservation collaborated to support Historic Warren’s vision for the space.
“We appreciate PNC’s donation and were honored to have written a letter of support to garner this positive outcome. Congratulations to Warren’s Main Street entity, Historic Warren, Inc. for their dedication. Creating support to boost downtown vibrancy is absolutely critical for our rural communities and enhances Warren’s efforts to keep the central business district a viable place to invest,” said Mark Wickersham, executive director, Huntington County Economic Development Corporation.
The PNC building has a long legacy of being home to numerous banking institutions including its original use as The Exchange Bank. The almost 13,000 square foot building, is located in the Warren Historic District that was designated on the National Register of Historic Places on May 19, 2022.
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
Historic Warren, an Indiana Main Street member and a 501(c)3 non-profit organization has spearheaded revitalization efforts in downtown Warren since 2011. The mission of Historic Warren, Inc is to support community & economic development in Downtown Warren by continuing historic building preservation, encouraging and promoting small businesses, and community involvement. Historic Warren is dedicated to making downtown a vibrant place to live, work and shop. For more information, follow Historic Warren Main Street on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HistoricWarrenInc/.
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