Greenfield Savings Bank Celebrates Opening of Historic Leavitt-Hovey House

Greenfield Savings Bank President and CEO Peter Albero joins Pamela Stobierski, board chair, in cutting the ribbon on the restored Leavitt-Hovey House.

GREENFIELD — Umbrellas lined Greenfield’s Main Street Wednesday morning as Greenfield Savings Bank board members, Franklin County elected officials, local business leaders, contractors, and community members braved the rain to celebrate the official ribbon cutting and grand opening of the newly restored Leavitt-Hovey House.

Hosted in partnership with the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of Greenfield Savings Bank’s nearly $7 million restoration of the historic 1797 property at 402 Main St., one of downtown’s most recognizable and architecturally significant landmarks.

Designed by famed early American architect Asher Benjamin and originally constructed as the home of Judge Jonathan Leavitt, the Leavitt-Hovey House later served as the longtime home of the Greenfield Public Library for more than a century before the library relocated in 2023. Greenfield Savings Bank purchased the building from the city of Greenfield in December 2023 for $10,000 with plans to restore and repurpose the property for future community and business use.

“This is a big day for Greenfield Savings Bank and for downtown Greenfield,” said Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessye Deane, who emceed the ceremony. “At a time when community banks across the country are being absorbed, consolidated, and stripped of their local identity, we are incredibly fortunate to have a partner and community champion like Greenfield Savings Bank.”

Deane noted that the chamber’s offices sit directly across the street from the Leavitt-Hovey House, giving the organization “front row seats” to the property’s transformation.

“The Leavitt-Hovey House project signals that Greenfield Savings Bank recognizes both the history and the future of downtown Greenfield, and is willing to invest in both,” she added.

Throughout the ceremony, speakers emphasized that the renovation represented more than the restoration of a historic building. The nearly $7 million investment also supported more than two dozen local contractors, craftspeople, and businesses, creating what speakers repeatedly described as both a historic preservation success story and a significant local economic investment. Bonham & Douglas Architects and Mowry & Schmidt served as lead project partners.

Mayor Ginny Desorgher provided an overview of the property’s history and thanked Greenfield Savings Bank for “stepping up” and “taking care of something we love,” emphasizing the importance of preserving one of Greenfield’s most treasured historic assets.

Former Greenfield Savings Bank President and CEO Tom Meshako, who retired in March and is credited with bringing the project from concept to reality, paused his retirement to join the celebration. He reflected on the bank’s early vision for the property and shared that a historic postcard of the Leavitt-Hovey House became a source of inspiration throughout the renovation process.

Meshako explained that the team aspired to bring the building fully up to code while carefully restoring its historic elements, including the distinctive gray exterior featured on the postcard. In recognition of his leadership and role in the project, the Leavitt-Hovey House conference room has been named in his honor.

Pamela Stobierski, Greenfield Savings Bank board chair, noted that the restored property will house Greenfield Savings Bank’s Trust & Wealth Management Division, as well as its residential lending and cash management departments. Greenfield Savings Bank’s retail banking services in Greenfield will continue to operate at the 400 Main St. branch.

Current Greenfield Savings Bank President and CEO Peter Albero reflected on his personal connection to the building, sharing that he waited inside the Leavitt-Hovey House prior to his CFO interview with the bank in April 2023. He also acknowledged the scale and complexity of the undertaking.

“We were overly optimistic and a bit naive back then when we expected to be in a fully renovated historic building by the end of 2024,” Albero said. “Two and a half years later, the Leavitt-Hovey House exemplifies our investment in the community and our belief in the strength and potential of Franklin County.”

He added that historical research conducted during the restoration revealed that Jonathan Leavitt also served as the first president of the Franklin Bank of Greenfield. “So we have come full circle in the sense that this historic building once again supports banking in Greenfield.”

Added Deane, “that’s what makes this project such a win from every angle. By restoring one of Greenfield’s most iconic landmarks, Greenfield Savings Bank is bringing this property back onto the tax roll, beautifying downtown, and leveraging this investment to inspire and serve future generations.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were invited to tour the newly renovated Leavitt-Hovey House and enjoy light refreshments hosted by Greenfield Savings Bank. Cassie Morrey, GSB’s senior vice president of Residential Lending, commented that “the attention to detail throughout the Leavitt-Hovey House mirrors the care we bring to guiding our customers on their own home ownership journeys.”