COLUMBUS, Ohio — Chase announced Tuesday it is redesigning it’s “Northern Lights” branch on Cleveland Avenue to better serve the Linden neighborhood community.
The bank branch has been in Linden for decades. The project is part of J.P Morgan Chase’s initiative to open more “community center” branches in communities that have faced historical barriers to banking. These areas are often urban areas with larger Black, Hispanic and Latino populations.
“To make this investment in the Linden community is huge. It’s a pilot and looks very similar to the one in Harlem, which was the first one,” said Alicia Jones, the community manager for the branch. “Chase has really doubled down on this. It is so important to continue to make this investment. Being able to build trust and provide financial resources in our underbanked, unserved areas such as Linden is such a huge thing.”
There are currently 16 of the community center branches across the country. Columbus is one of three slated for this year. The other two are in New York City.
The redesigned branches will have space for community organizations to use, space for pop-up businesses and more. The branches will also put an increased focus on helping residents in the community improve their financial health.
Ralph Carter is the founder of We Are Linden, an organization focused on helping the kids growing up in Linden develop a pride for their neighborhood and keeping them on the right path. Spending his whole life in Linden, he’s seen a lot of change.
He said the investment helps show the kids, Linden can be a place they want to be and can be proud of.
“Our young people don’t know about the pride that’s in this community. That’s why We Are Linden in here is to reignite that pride that’s here,” Carter said.
He said the bank’s plan to offer programs to help people understand what they need to do to get a mortgage, start a business, or manage their money will be a big help to Linden.
“I’m going to use myself as an example. As many hurdles as it was to buy a home,” said Carter. “It was my first time. I’m in my 30s asking what is this? What does this mean?”
Chase intends to have the community center renovation of the branch completed later in 2024.