Remodeling the ancient Social Security Office, the new Vista Banking Center, Financial Literacy Center, SDFP Innovation Center, and Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce headquarters are located at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and J. B. Jackson, Jr. Blvd.
Vista Bank, a 112- season- old discreetly- owned organization, announced a fresh banking center coming to the intersection of MLK Blvd. and J. B. Jackson in Fair Bank, confirming its dedication to South Dallas.
The bank’s roots in West Texas date back more than a century, and it expanded into Dallas in 2017 with a product production company. After that, Vista moved its headquarters to Preston Center, where a full-service spot was opened.
Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua stated in a statement that he is “overjoyed that Vista Bank has announced the opening of a unit in South Dallas.” District 7 will be impacted in ways never before seen by the responsibility to our society and investment in resources. Our part of the I-30 has been purposefully ignored and denied access to capital financing and resources for decades, a fact that is no secret. The presence of Visa Bank also serves as a testament to what is to come, and their relationship with the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce also adds another layer of security.
Colleagues on the job include the Vista Bank Board of Directors and Executive Leadership, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern Dallas Progress, the SDFP Innovation Center, and the Collins Company.
Bazaldua cited Vista’s plan to redevelop and occupy the former Social Security building as “a great way to demonstrate our community’s commitment.”
He also praised the ability to obtain financing for local organizations and inhabitants, which do “significantly improve the quality of life for so many”
There is no distinction between North and South Dallas, but only what is accessible and equitable, according to Bazaldua, and the relationship between Vista Bank is a “trailblazing action for banking in South Dallas,” he added.
Neighborhood awareness and training
Financial experts may be present at the Vista Bank Financial Literacy Center, along with training for residents of the South Dallas region, including teenagers and young adults.
The lender said its table and leadership earlier on recognized the need to support the West Dallas community, and they invested time and resources in a task force aimed at fostering innovation and engagement. Lubbock Smith III, a student of Dallas Carter High School and citizen of Oak Cliff, was appointed vice president and chairman of community growth and Vista Outreach after serving on the work force commission.
The business said that John D. Steinmetz, president and CEO of Vista, and Smith and others have a shared goal to join North Dallas community leaders, support area schools and student athletes, and offer financial education training as well as bank products and services to the under-represented region.
In a three-year supporting role, Vista became the title sponsor for Camp Exposure. It provided funding and staff to help the young organization empower area high school athletes to garner D1 attention while enhancing their skills both on and off the field.
The bank then provided a 75-foot digital board at Carter High School that functions as a real-time replica of the school’s rich history and contemporary accomplishments, with financial literacy advice sprinkled throughout to teach curious students.
Vista went on to partner with DISD, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern Dallas Progress, The DEC, and more than 40 other organizations to impact over 21, 000 individuals while working towards real solutions for the community. the company said.
Once inside the 11, 000 square foot recently remodeled office space, guests will be greeted with bright open spaces intentionally designed to foster learning, networking, and the success of entrepreneurship in the region.
Good fit for the community
The Fair Park location, according to Vista, will be the first of its kind in almost three decades.
The bank claimed that the old Social Security building’s renovation efforts at 3225 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. When finished, the new location will serve as Vista’s largest and most recent banking center as well as providing office space for the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, where Smith serves on the board of directors, as well as Southern Dallas Progress and the SDFP Innovation Center.
The completed office space will be anchored by a Financial Literacy Center offering year- round trainings to students, young adults, families, and small businesses.
“I’ve always had a passion to teach people to fish, providing a hand up, not a handout”, Steinmetz said in a statement. The Boys and Girls Clubs across the nation taught me some fundamental life lessons, including financial principles that aren’t often taught even today, as my father, who served in the military and as TGI Friday’s server, said. We will continue to collaborate with community partners to find the ideal balance between financial literacy training and funding for qualified loans, as well as providing the training needed for entrepreneurs to learn how to fish as well as a “quality pond” for them to fish from.
Smith claimed that he and the community are interested in the bank.
“Growing up an Oak Cliff native, now South Dallas resident, I’ve chosen to work and raise my family here because I wanted to help others elevate in my local community,” Smith said in a statement. When I first met John and saw his desire to pursue the same goals, I knew that his vision complemented mine, which was a natural outcome. I’m humbled to work for a company that is as committed to advancing that goal as I am because small business is the best way to create generational wealth in South Dallas.
Vista Bank serves markets across North, Central, West Texas, and Palm Beach, Florida, through its 17 banking centers.
With a Private Client offering, more than 200 team members, more than$ 2 billion in assets, Vista offers innovative solutions to personal and commercial clients.