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Inside OakStar Bank's New Overland Park, Kansas Location

When southwest Missouri-based OakStar Bank decided to expand into Overland Park, Kansas, it enlisted the help of Baron Design & Associates, LLC and Paragon Fabrication to create an innovative headquarters that could serve customers sooner.

By Ren Bishop

Mar 2021

OakStar Bank's Overland Park, Kansas Location

Photo by Starboard and PortOakStar Bank was expanding and building a new bank in Overland Park, Kansas, with construction anticipated to last a year. During construction, a leased retail space launched the new branch, but OakStar wanted a location that made a great first impression to its new community. Baron Design & Associates was the lead on the project. “While we deemed it temporary, we wanted to make the space feel and look more permanent, while keeping the OakStar brand front and center,” says Charles Wooten, Jr., OakStar bank president, Kansas City.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story did not mention Baron Design & Associates, LLC as the lead architect of both this temporary location and OakStar Bank's permanent location in Overland Park, Kansas. Updated on March 12 at 2:15 p.m.

Photos by Starboard and PortWith function in mind, Paragon Fabrication designed, built and installed in-fill panels to make temporary walls with professional polish. Embedded in the frosted glass panels were the OakStar leaf and LED light strips. “We worked with [...] Rita Baron to match a color palette that runs through to other OakStar banks,” says Ron Robertson, Paragon vice president of design services. "Not only was the time to move in less, the cost to do it was significantly less." The total cost of the project was not disclosed.

Photos by Starboard and PortHanging above the space are acoustic ceiling clouds. The clouds provide additional lighting and improved acoustics. “Large spaces can turn into an echo box, and these clouds help cut down on that echo and reverb,” Roberston says.

Photos by Starboard and PortCustom ceiling sculptures take OakStar’s brand to new heights. Metal ceiling sculptures were crafted by Paragon and are designed to be easily installed from any ceiling, says Chris Koenig, general manager of Paragon Fabrication. “In the lobby, we created a large metal leaf that had a video monitor that could have messages on it they could control. Both pieces could be reused in another location.”

Photos by Starboard and PortLocated in a strip mall, the temporary OakStar location was long and narrow. The space was designed to be an open concept for maximum natural light, while also using panels to create offices for confidential conversations. “Desks were made to fit a specific size for each person, which helps the space feel large,” Koenig says.

Photos by Starboard and PortFrom conference tables to partitions, Paragon crafted a temporary infill solution that provided permanent possibilities. “We designed a bank in a box,” Koenig says. “After the new building is complete, they have all these elements for another temporary space. There’s no walls to pay to demo, nothing for the strip mall owner to do for a subsequent tenant. It’s a win for everyone.

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Inside OakStar Bank's New Overland Park, Kansas Location

By Ren Bishop

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