The official groundbreaking for Community Star Credit Union’s new Grafton branch was held the morning of Monday, September 21st, 2026. The branch is expected to open in late Spring 2027. Read on for an article from The Chronicle-Telegram.
CommStar breaks ground on new Grafton branch
Connor Ball
The Chronicle-Telegram
Sep 21, 2026 3:59 PM
GRAFTON —- CommStar Credit Union held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday morning for its new Grafton branch, part of a broader project that will include a public pavilion and improvements to the adjacent Wayne Shipman Memorial Trailhead in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The new branch will be built at 677 N. Main St. on the former bowling alley property next to the trailhead and is expected to open in 2027.
Plans for the credit union received site plan approval from Village Council on June 16, clearing the way for the project to move forward.
Erin Beese Haertling, director of member experience at CommStar, said Monday’s groundbreaking follows months of work with the village, Main Street Grafton and design-build partner Adrenaline.
“It’s been a labor of love and a long time coming,” she said. “We’re really excited to bring another banking option to the community.”
CommStar operates as a member-owned, not-for-profit credit union and dates to 1938, when it was established by Bendix-Westinghouse employees in Elyria.
The credit union’s main office remains in Elyria, and Beese Haertling said a number of CommStar members already live in the Grafton area. Several employees also have connections to the village and Midview Schools.
“It’s just more of that hometown feel, and it’s something that we were really interested in being a part of,” Beese Haertling said.
The covered pavilion will be available for public use, creating another gathering space for residents and visitors using the trail.
“We wanted it to be more than just a banking facility,” CommStar CEO Dave Jezewski said. “We wanted it to be a place where the community could come and gather and relax.”
Village Administrator Andrew Lipian said the village and CommStar will work together to repave the parking area once the credit union facility is completed. The Ohio Department of Transportation will make improvements to sidewalks, landscaping, signage and other amenities around the site.
“It just so happens that these two projects marry together well,” he said.
Lipian credited Mayor Charles Duke with establishing the initial connection with CommStar and continuing discussions that eventually brought the branch project forward.
He said the development is expected to bring jobs and revenue to the village while giving residents another banking option.
“It’s all about partnerships,” Lipian said. “CommStar Credit Union has a mission, and so does the village of Grafton, and we’re aligned in that mission. This is more than just a credit union. It’s a community partnership. We’re thankful for CommStar Credit Union for choosing Grafton. We can’t wait to see where this partnership leads in the future.”
Contact Connor Ball at cball@chroniclet.com or 440-329-7243.