New Belgium branch is bank’s latest project

Port Washington State Bank is continuing its mission to improve its branch facilities, turning its eye to the Village of Belgium.

The bank plans to construct a new facility at 115 S. Royal Ave., a building that will replace the current office at 545 Main St.

“Belgium is a thriving community with a wide range of banking needs,” Port State Bank President and CEO James Schowalter said.

“This new branch allows us to deepen our investment here and better serve not only Belgium but the neighboring small towns that rely on accessible, community-focused banking. Making banking convenient and personal for everyone we serve is at the heart of who we are.”

The new location had been home to a convenience store/gas station, but in recent years was largely vacant. The bank purchased the property last fall.

Schowalter said the new location will give the bank more visibility in the community while also allowing it to construct the larger building it needs.

“Our existing Belgium office was built in 1958 by my great-grandfather C. Donald Hill, and it has served us well,” he said, adding that at that time, the bank was on the edge of the village.

Belgium, he noted, was Port State Bank’s first branch office, created in 1932.

But with $60 million in deposits and roughly 5,000 transactions handled there each month, Schowalter said, “We simply outgrew it. This will allow us to serve the size of community Belgium is today and really support the growth in the area.”

The new building will be 33,750 square feet, compared to about 1,000 square feet in the current branch office.

It will have better storage, a better and larger safety deposit box area, restrooms that comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act and provide an updated employee break room, among other things, Schowalter said.

It will also provide expanded office space for lenders and personal bankers, private meeting areas for customers and three drive-through lanes with wider access.

The design will mirror the recently expanded Fredonia branch at 201 Regal Dr., which was completed last year.

“It brings to market a facility the community deserves,” Schowalter said.

“People often ask me, ‘Why are you putting this type of investment in these small communities?’ It’s because our employees and our customers deserve it,” he added.

“When we invest in our properties, our customers support us, our communities are grateful and good things happen.”

The new location is closer to I-43, and it will include a new “Welcome to Belgium” sign.

“It’ll be a very pretty building, and it should be a really nice gateway for the village,” Schowalter said.
We hope this branch is a continuing catalyst for development in Belgium. We’re proud to be in a position to do that.”

Construction on the new building is expected to begin in late June, with completion slated for February 2027.

Redmond Co. of Waukesha will be the general contractor, and Schowalter said a number of local contractors will be part of the project as well.

Schowalter said that the bank has not decided what will happen with its current office once it moves into the new space, but one thing is for sure — the Post Office will continue to occupy the other half of the building “for the foreseeable future.”

The bank recently received a conditional use permit from the Village of Belgium’s Plan Commission for the building, with Village Clerk Theresa Bartley saying, “Were all pretty excited about it. It’s going to look really nice.

“They (the building plans) look amazing.”

In a statement, village officials said they are excited to welcome the bank in its new location.

“Port Washington State Bank has been, and continues to be, an important and trusted partner in our community, and we’re grateful for their longstanding commitment to supporting Belgium’s residents, businesses and future growth,” they said.

Renovating the branch offices is an ongoing project for the bank, Schowalter said, noting the Belgium branch isn’t the only project Port State Bank is working on.

Schowalter said the bank, which has 34,000 customers overall and handles 5,000 to 12,000 transactions monthly at each of its eight offices, is conducting a “mild refresh” of its Saukville branch, a project that includes installing new flooring and furniture, upgrading equipment, painting and finishing the lower level.