Astra Bank breaks ground on new building at 27th, Main in Hays

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Astra Bank officials broke ground on a new building at 27th and Main streets in Hays on Friday.

The bank purchased the property from the city of Hays. The city has also purchased the current Astra Bank building, 1100 Fort, and will renovate it into its new police station and municipal court.

The city had intended to use the property at 27th and Main for the new police station, but renovating the current Astra Bank location will save the city about $5 million. The Astra option is estimated to cost $8 million, while new construction would have cost about $13 million.

The Astra facility would provide 23,000 square feet with room for expansion.

The proposed police station on Fort will also be across the street from the Ellis County Jail and Sheriff's Office.

Kyle Campbell, president and CEO of Astra Bank, said during the ground-breaking ceremony sponsored by The Chamber in Hays that the new bank location should benefit the bank. 

He said the bank's current location did not meet its customers' banking needs today.

Among the upgrades will be better drive-through banking access, he said.

He joked that just during the groundbreaking, more traffic had gone by on 27th Street than during the entire week at their current location.

"It will be nice to be here where we are more accessible to the community, and I think also it will be a fantastic asset to the community in terms of starting the development of this really visible and prime location within Hays," Campbell said.

"We are very excited to be investing in Hays, and I want to thank all of you for taking the time to come out and help us celebrate this occasion, where we are looking forward to investing even more in the future of Hays."

The new bank is scheduled to be completed by summer 2025.

The project also will include retail or office space.

The lot is large enough that the bank hopes to work with a developer to build multi-family housing on the rest of the land.

A new street will be constructed as part of the 27th and Main Street Addition.  The property will have access along Fort Street, Main Street, 27th Street and from the planned extension of 26th Street through the center of the development.

Campbell thanked the city, Grow Hays and local Astra Bank officials for their collaboration on the project.

"It has allowed us to get to what I think is truly a win-win for both the community and Astra Bank," he said.