By Ray Birch
RALEIGH, N.C.— When the pandemic forced a sudden shift to remote work, Coastal Credit Union discovered that employees could be just as productive outside the office. But over time, leadership also saw what was missing—those spontaneous hallway chats, the “meeting after the meeting,” and real-time collaboration that can’t always be replicated over Zoom.
Now, two and a half years later, Coastal has completed a dramatic renovation of its Raleigh headquarters—one that captures the best of both worlds.
“We quickly learned that hybrid work was effective,” said Joe Mecca, VP of communication at the $5.8-billion credit union. “But we also realized that nothing replaces the kind of collaboration that happens when people are together in person. So, we set out to build a space that supports both.”
Originally planning to build a new headquarters next door, Coastal pivoted mid-pandemic and chose instead to completely reimagine its existing six-story, 135,000-square-foot building. The final result: a flexible, modern workspace designed for both heads-down focus and vibrant team interaction.
A Workplace Reimagined
“Before the renovation, the building was full of oversized cubicles, isolated offices, and dark hallways,” said Mecca. “There weren’t enough meeting spaces, and collaboration was often a challenge. We saw an opportunity to fix that—and to create a space that reflects how people actually work today.”
The building now features:
- Flexible individual workspaces, including reservable and assigned desks, private offices, focus rooms, and wellness areas
- Collaborative environments like open meeting areas, casual lounge zones, huddle rooms, and traditional conference spaces
- Hybrid-friendly tech that makes it easy to hold meetings with a mix of in-person and remote participants
- Social and wellness amenities, including a two-story outdoor deck, coffee bar, inclusive restrooms, and electric vehicle charging stations
“We wanted employees to have the flexibility to choose how and where they work,” said Mecca. “You might reserve a desk one day, use a casual lounge space the next, or bring your team in for an in-person project meeting. It all depends on the work you’re doing.”
More Than Just Office Space
The redesigned headquarters is built around activity-based working—a concept that encourages employees to move freely through different spaces depending on their task. Whether collaborating on a cross-functional team project or doing focused individual work, staff now have access to a variety of settings optimized for each need.
The renovation even includes a new Coastal branch for members and the Bill Smith Board Room, named after the credit union’s longest-serving board member.
By renovating its existing headquarters instead of constructing a new building, Coastal estimates it spent one-third of what a new build would have cost.
“Repurposing the space was not only more cost-effective—it was also more sustainable,” said Mecca. “We took the building down to the steel and rebuilt from the inside out.”
Construction wrapped up in May, with employees now fully transitioned into the updated space.
A New Era For Coastal
For Coastal, this project wasn’t just about walls and furniture—it was about building a better way to work.
“We learned a lot from the pandemic,” Mecca added. “Flexible work is here to stay. But collaboration is still essential—and in-person collaboration, when it happens, can be incredibly powerful. Our new headquarters was built to reflect that.”