Port Washington State Bank breaks ground in Belgium

Port Washington State Bank broke ground on Monday on its new Belgium branch at the corner of Main Street and Highway LL. The branch will replace the building at Main and Maple streets built in 1958. It has about $60 million in deposits and about 5,000 transactions per month. “Our current branch has served us well for many years, but simply put, we’ve outgrown it. When this project is complete, our new Belgium branch will be more than three times the size of our current location,” bank President and CEO James Schowalter said. The branch will have expanded offices, private meeting spaces and three wider drive-through lanes and a parking lot, an upgrade from street parking at the current branch. The new branch is expected to open in spring of 2027. The old branch will remain open throughout construction. Bank, construction company and village employees were on hand to move the first pieces of dirt. They were (front row, from left) Amy Kauper, Joan Woldt, James Schowalter, Executive Chairman of Port State Bank Board of Directors Steven Schowalter, Cindy Nierode, Stella Peduzzi, Jeff Knorr, Mark Schowatler, Belgium Public Works Director Dan Birenbaum, Branch Manager Chanel Schmidt, Sally Schowalter Savatski, (back row) Jim Grott and Andy Young of Redmond Co., Joel Dykstra and Matt Hensel of E3 Architecture.    Photo by Sam Arendt