137 Buildings, One Solution: 3D Scanning for Citizens Bank

Bisbano & Associates had a big job: documenting 137 bank branches quickly and accurately. With tight deadlines, security issues, and the need for virtual site visits, they needed a quick solution.

Find out how Existing Conditions utilized 3D scanning to solve these challenges and make the project a success.

Project Background

This press release announces that Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is buying Investors Bank. Together with the recently acquired HSBC East Coast branches and online deposit business, this acquisition expands Citizens' middle market and small business customer base.

Why Bisbano & Associates Selected Existing Conditions

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Bruce Bisbano, Principal Architect at Bisbano & Associates selected Existing Conditions on April 4th, 2022 for this project. Bisbano & Associates chose Existing Conditions because they had worked together before. They knew our team could handle the job, accurately measuring 137 locations.

This was no difficult task - Existing Conditions 3D laser scanned and measured 69 locations of Citizens Bank back in 2021. The 3D virtual walkthroughs were very central to Jeremy Wise and Simon Arends, Project Managers at Bisbano & Associates to walk through 100+ buildings. This partnership helped Bisbano & Associates organize and carry out the big task of rebranding the bank's sites smoothly.

“We knew that the drawings provided by Existing Conditions accurately represented what was there. This information needed to be reliable because given the large number of buildings, we could not visit every site ourselves” - Jeremy Wise, Project Manager at Bisbano & Associates

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Scope of Work Evolution of Citizens Bank Projects

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With 137 sites to document, the project needed careful planning and a specific timeline to meet Citizens Bank's deadlines. Holly Vaillancourt, Operations Director at Existing Conditions, worked with Ashley Thomas, Former Vice President of Property Strategy and Execution/Branch Transformations & Acquisition at Citizens Bank, and her contacts at Investors Bank. They used a shared spreadsheet to work on a group of buildings categorized by tiers one through three.

The project primarily focused on New Jersey and New York City sites.

To streamline the process, Bisbano & Associates grouped sites by region. This approach minimized travel time and ensured efficient use of resources. Existing Conditions 3D laser scanned each building, including interiors, exteriors, and any drive-up facilities.

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The as-built drawings included floor plans, reflected ceiling plans (RCPs), and exterior elevations. This comprehensive documentation was crucial for Bisbano & Associates to start the design process.

Our team completed the project by early October 2022. Existing Conditions’ responsiveness and flexibility were key to the project's success.

Communication and collaboration were essential throughout the project. Existing Conditions maintained organization for each tier to track progress and keep all parties informed. This transparency helped Citizens Bank stay updated on project timelines and allowed for a smooth design process.

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The Challenge

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Bisbano & Associates faced the daunting task of surveying and visiting 137 sites with a small team. Their team consisted of only two main members, with a few additional helpers joining occasionally. Managing this large number of sites was challenging, especially without visiting any locations until later in the construction process. Bisbano & Associates selected Existing Conditions to work on this large project because they needed to focus on what they do best.

According to Jeremy Wise, “It was really important to know that the team from Existing Conditions had experience with this type of work on a bank. Their operations team was very knowledgeable and knew exactly what they were looking at and scanning on-site. There was a lot of technology that needed to be documented and we needed to figure out what to do with it in the existing condition survey.”

A challenge for the Existing Conditions team was accessing high-security areas within the banks. Existing Conditions needed to get into rooms like vaults, which required careful coordination with the bank's schedule.

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The project required scanning while the banks were open, which added complexity. Scanning during business hours meant working around the bank's operations and ensuring site managers were aware of the schedule. Existing Conditions had to frequently adjust our plans to accommodate the banks' busy schedules.

Lastly, the estimated square footage on our shared spreadsheet often differed from the actual size, making planning harder. Existing Conditions checked for any size discrepancies before visiting the site.

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The Solution

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To address these challenges, Existing Conditions utilized 3D laser scanning technology for virtual site visits. This approach allowed Bisbano & Associates to proceed with the design process without frequent physical visits. The scans provided comprehensive data, including detailed laser scan data in TruView. This technology became essential for managing such a large project efficiently.

Jeremy Wise explained: “We began utilizing TrueView software after engaging with Existing Conditions, which significantly enhanced our project management. This tool allows users to navigate through spaces in a 3D visual format, rather than relying solely on traditional 2D drawings. The ability to virtually walk through and explore every angle of the space in a 360-degree view was invaluable to our team, providing a much richer and more accurate understanding of the physical environment. This advancement in documentation was crucial for our planning and execution processes.”

The TruView data was instrumental in verifying dimensions and ensuring accurate planning. The measuring tool verified the wall sizes and other important measurements for placing the interior design and branding. Tagging receptacles, light switches, and low-voltage elements in the models streamlined the planning process. This detailed data was crucial for creating accurate designs.

Good communication and flexibility were crucial for solving the project's challenges. The team at Existing Conditions quickly responded to requests and went back to sites when needed. By working together with Bisbano & Associates, the project stayed on track and met the client's needs.

Existing Conditions has the expertise to provide you with the highly accurate drawings, maps, and models you need. Call us for your next project.

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How This Project Was Unique

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This project was unique due to the massive scale of handling 137 sites all at once. Bisbano & Associates faced a tight deadline and needed to manage a large amount of work and coordination quickly. Keeping track of information and schedules across so many sites added to the challenge.

Strong communication was essential for meeting the project's tight deadlines and organizing the construction schedule. With over 150 people involved from various groups, ensuring everyone was on the same page was crucial. The team made sure that all construction documents were easy to understand as bank employees also managed project sites.

Additionally, coordinating with numerous vendors and addressing unexpected issues made the project complex. Different bank branches had varying designs and wall coverings, requiring quick decisions and unique solutions. This high level of coordination and adaptability made the project especially challenging and distinct. Existing Conditions was able to deliver our work in a record time of less than five months!

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Where the Citizens Bank Projects Stand Now

Most of the Citizens Bank projects have been completed successfully. There are a few minor items left to resolve, like exterior signage at a couple of sites. Overall, the clients are pleased with the work delivered by Bisbano & Associates. It has been a significant success, and they hope to continue working on similar projects in the future.

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About the Client Bisbano & Associates

Bisbano & Associates was formed in 1994 with the vision to create strong, lasting connections and excellent architectural designs. Since it started, the firm has always put its clients first, making sure each project fits their needs and objectives.

They prioritize useful and imaginative solutions, focusing on client satisfaction over winning awards. Their primary goal is to fully grasp and achieve their client's visions and goals.

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Jeremy Wise is a Project Manager at Bisbano & Associates. Jeremy joined the firm about six years ago, right after college. Jeremy started as an architectural designer and worked his way up to managing his projects. Now, Jeremy leads a team of three, working closely with clients to ensure their satisfaction.

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Simon Arends began his career at Bisbano & Associates in 2015 as an architectural designer. After a brief break, Simon returned in 2020 and continued in the same role. Recently, Simon started managing projects, including the Citizens Project alongside Jeremy. Simon now handles several projects independently while coordinating with various teams to deliver the best projects they can.

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How Existing Conditions Completed the Project in Record Time

The Citizens Bank project was unique because of all the coordination needed at the start. This was a large, multi-scale project with many small buildings spread throughout the Northeast. The biggest challenge was handling and processing a huge amount of data quickly. Existing Conditions worked hard to upload and manage large files every day, keeping everything running smoothly. Thanks to Existing Conditions’ effort and our strong system, we finished the project faster than expected.

Existing Conditions provides a clear view of your building’s existing condition, whether it’s big or small, near or far. Just like we have customized our work for Bisbano & Associates, we tailor our services to meet your project's needs. Save time and money—contact us today to discuss how we can make your project a success.