The Illinois Bankers Association has been downtown for more than a decade, but the statewide organization has announced plans to relocate to the Park Place One building, located at 3201 W. White Oaks Dr. in Springfield, as of Oct. 1.

IBA has been housed in Lincoln Tower in downtown Springfield since 2007, and executive vice president and COO Erich Bloxdorf said the move is based on the need for better access, rather than expansion.

“We have a state-of-the-art education center called the Center for Banking Excellence. When we hold training sessions, we need to have space that’s close to the highway with ample parking,” he said. Bloxdorf explained that the bankers who attend training, as well as board members, come from all over the state. “This location will provide a great, quick entrance into the city, terrific lodging, shopping, restaurants and free parking,” he said.

IBA, which has 25 employees based in Springfield, will occupy 11,000 square feet in the Park Place One building. While Bloxdorf said there will not be much remodeling required, the group is still pondering some potential uses for the new space.

“We’re the longest-serving trade association that serves banks of all sizes in the state. We’ve been around since 1891, so we have thoughts about putting in a historical display,” said Bloxdorf. “There will be some fun artifacts.”