On March 12, Dallas-based Vista Bank affirmed its continued commitment to South Dallas, announcing a new banking center location at the intersection of Martin Luther King Blvd. and J B. Jackson. The first bank to open in the Fair Park neighborhood of South Dallas in almost three decades, Vista Bank invested more than $3 million finishing out the 11,000-square-foot building.
Once renovation efforts of the old Social Security building on MLK Blvd. are completed, Vista Bank’s new location will serve not only as the bank’s largest banking center, but will also provide office space to the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern Dallas Progress and the SDFP (South Dallas/Fair Park) Innovation Center. The completed office space will be anchored by a financial literacy center offering year-round trainings to students, young adults, families and small businesses.
With more than a century of West Texas roots, Vista Bank expanded its footprint into Dallas in 2017 and eventually opened a full-service location in Preston Center, where the headquarters were relocated in early 2020. The board of directors and bank leadership saw the need to serve the South Dallas community early on, committing time and resources to a task force aimed at innovating in this space. Dallas Carter High School graduate and Oak Cliff resident Lubbock Smith III volunteered on the task force and was soon hired by the bank full-time as vice president/director of community development and Vista Bank outreach.
From their initial encounter, he and John D. Steinmetz, Vista Bank president and CEO, shared a vision to engage South Dallas community leaders, invest in area schools and student athletes, and provide financial literacy training, as well as bank products and services to the under-championed region.
Vista Bank stepped up as title sponsor for Camp Exposure, a supporting role that lasted three years. The bank provided key funding and manpower to help the young organization empower area high school athletes to garner division 1 attention while elevating their skills both on and off the field. The bank then sponsored a digital board at Dallas Carter High School, acting as a real-time scrapbook of the school’s rich heritage and current achievements, with financial literacy tips interspersed throughout to train curious students. Vista Bank went on to partner with the Dallas ISD, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern Dallas Progress, DEC and more than 40 other organizations to impact more than 21,000 individuals while working toward real solutions for the community.
“The [bank’s] commitment to our community and investment in resources is going to touch District 7 in ways unseen before,” notes Adam Bazaldua, Dallas city councilman. “It’s no secret that for decades our side of I-30 has been intentionally overlooked and deprived of equitable access to capital financing and resources. Vista Bank’s presence is not only symbolic of what we hope is to come, but their partnership with the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce adds another element of trust and confidence to their presence.
“Further, Vista Bank’s decision to remodel the old Social Security building—instead of building a new facility—is a fantastic way to show what dedication to our community looks like,” Bazaldua continues. “Vista Bank’s partnership is a trailblazing step for banking in South Dallas, and I am confident that the outcome will allow other banks to see what our community has known for so long—there is no difference between North and South Dallas, only what is accessible and equitable.”
Established in 1912, Vista Bank serves markets across North, Central and West Texas, as well as Palm Beach, Florida, wtih 17 locations.
Collaborators on the Fair Park project include the Vista Bank board of directors and executive leadership, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Southern Dallas Progress, SDFP Innovation Center and Collins Co.
