Cathy Calhoun from Spring City, Pennsylvania, turned an old bank into her dream home. She used to work as a teller at the National Bank of Spring City for ten years starting in 1972. She decided to buy the building and transform it into a house.
The bank was built in 1872 and was still in business when Cathy bought it. Over 24 years, she spent about $52,000 to renovate the 5,200 square foot building into a comfortable home.
Cathy wanted to keep the old charm of the bank while adding modern touches. She converted the building into a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house, blending history with modern living.
She preserved many original features, like the Seth Thomas street clock, which she reinstalled for the town to enjoy. She even turned the old vault into a stylish bar, removing one wall of safe deposit boxes to create more space.
Inside the safe deposit boxes, Cathy found old bankbooks, bills, coins, and stock certificates, which she displayed as decorations. She also converted other areas of the bank, like the coupon room into a powder room.
Cathy transformed the lobby by removing the dropped ceiling to reveal its 40-foot height. She restored the original coffers and skylight, adding natural light to the room. A painter was hired to paint the ceiling like a sunset sky, giving the room a magical feel.
Although the building used to be a bank, Cathy’s home sometimes confuses locals. She jokes with them, saying, “deposits only.”
The old boardroom became a luxurious bedroom, while the basement vault was turned into a sauna. Cathy’s journey shows that thinking creatively can lead to amazing transformations.
Now, what was once an industrial building is a cozy and luxurious home.