DECATUR - Moving into a new office after 35 years at the old Regions Bank space in downtown Decatur was bittersweet for Wilbur Lancaster.

Lancaster, the bank's senior vice president of business services, enjoys his new view from a second-floor office overlooking construction of a green space across from Regions' new office in the Reynolds Building at 350 N. Water St.

After so long, though, he remembers the old space well.

"A lot of the furniture was there when I started," Lancaster said. "We were still using it. I had a lot of good memories in the old building. Part of it's sad, but moving is exciting, and it's a great experience to be able to work in this environment."

Lancaster has watched as workers have moved trees into place across the street.

"It's so much better than empty buildings or a hole," Lancaster said. "It's nice to see the city is putting that kind of investment in to make downtown have a really attractive atmosphere."

The bank spent $5 million on its new two-level office space, which Regions city President Pat Dienslake said shows its commitment to downtown. With the move, it was able to consolidate its office and drive-through into one spot.

"It's an incredible opportunity for our customers to bank with us," Dienslake said.

Regions completed its move to the new space in late October, but since then, it has been waiting to have neighbors. Project developer Consociate/Dansig, the other main tenant, plans to move into the building in May.

What remains to be decided before office fitting starts in January is where the insurance companies will be located within the building, said Darren Reynolds, Consociate/Dansig senior vice president.

Two other companies remain interested in the third floor, where Consociate/Dansig had planned to be, Reynolds said. If a deal is reached with them, Consociate and Dansig could then split up offices between the first and second floors, Reynolds said.

"We're going in for sure in May," Reynolds said. "It's just whether we're on the third floor or the first and second floor. That's the only question that exists. We're hoping to pull the trigger on deciding that in the next two or three weeks."

The focus has been to find tenants willing to fill large amounts of space, rather than split the building up into smaller pieces, Reynolds said.

"Timing has been everything," Reynolds said. "Some people were looking for space, but they might have a year or two left on their lease."

The building, which contains restaurant, retail and office space, is seen as a possible springboard to other development on the north side of downtown.

"Reynolds is the anchor for the north end of town," said Daylyn Wells, executive director of City Centre Decatur. "We've had a big gap there for a while."

The right type of business could benefit from moviegoers at the Avon Theatre, Wells said.

"I'd like a restaurant to open up that would take advantage of tremendous traffic that the Avon Theatre generates, particularly on a Sunday," Avon owner Skip Huston said. "Downtown is the actual soul and character of a city."

Reynolds is aiming to find a franchise restaurant to fill the space, which has drawn interest from numerous groups.

"They're looking at unique spots where not another box restaurant is nearby," Reynolds said.

Consociate/Dansig would complete its move in May regardless of whether a restaurant is found by then and leave room for the restaurant at a later time, Reynolds said.

For now, it's the bank employees and customers looking for a nearby place to go. Lancaster would like to see a coffee shop that offers something for breakfast and additional items for lunch.

Nearby Doherty's Pub and Pins, 242 E. William St., has experienced an increase in traffic since Regions moved in.

"It's nice to have a place to come eat," Doherty's co-owner John Hawkins said. "We're close to the Avon, so people can have dinner, then go to a movie. Plus, it's been more convenient now that the parking is done. The building makes downtown look a lot nicer."

As Regions fills the gap on the downtown's north end, it left a space at 100 S. Water St. on the south end that has yet to be filled. The space has long been under consideration as a place to move the city's police department, but nothing has been decided on that front.

Wells said such a move could benefit downtown businesses.

"It really just brings their office closer to the core of downtown, and with that, the employees are closer," Wells said. "We're hoping the city will open that option back up. We're going to have to find something to go in there."

clusvardi@herald-review.com|421-7972