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Officials of BankOnBuffalo break ground on a new permanent location at 7121 Niagara Falls Blvd. (Photos by David Yarger)
Officials of BankOnBuffalo break ground on a new permanent location at 7121 Niagara Falls Blvd. (Photos by David Yarger)

BankOnBuffalo breaks ground on permanent Niagara Falls branch

by yarger
Tue, Apr 30th 2019 05:05 pm

Bank making transition from Williams Road location to NF Boulevard

By David Yarger

Tribune Editor

On Tuesday, BankOnBuffalo representatives, along with a group of locals, gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at a new, permanent branch located at 7121 Niagara Falls Blvd.

Once construction of the new location is done, BankOnBuffalo will execute a transition from its temporary location along Williams Road in the Town of Wheatfield to the Niagara Falls branch.

Martin Griffith, BankOnBuffalo president, welcomed attendees to the new branch and said operations will continue at the Town of Wheatfield branch for now. Once the new building is constructed, the team will transition into a new facility.

“It really is a jumpstart to a further investment into the county and into the City of Niagara Falls,” Griffith said. “We couldn’t be happier to be here today and officially launch our efforts here. We’ve got a tremendous start.”

Griffith noted that, when it comes to running a good business, it’s about the employees – and he praised VP/Wheatfield Branch Manager Annette Tomlin.

“When we come into a market, we certainly do a market study. We look at the market and hope it makes sense. But the truth of the matter is, it’s the people that make the difference. We hired Annette a little over a year ago, without even an idea of where we were going to be, but we knew we needed Annette,” Griffith said. “She’s got a tremendous team with her today. … Her team has worked with her, in large part, in the past, and we have a significant jumpstart – even from a temporary facility – where we’re approaching $50 million in deposits after a real short time in the community.”   

Griffith said the new $2 million-plus branch is BankOnBuffalo’s first “branch of the future,” with wireless technology offering the newest and greatest amenities, but continuing a traditional touch of high-level and high-tech service.

“Because this is the first branch office solely constructed for BankOnBuffalo, it will be its most customer-centric, with 21st century features aimed at making transactions and information gathering easier for bank customers,” a press release said. “Key amenities include ready access to an internet kiosk in a café-style lobby, free coffee station, open teller areas, digital signage, cash recyclers, enhanced teller machines and coin counter. Drive-up banking and ample parking will also be available.”

The building will be 3,400 square-feet, designed by LaBella Associates. Additionally, it will be part of a plaza developed by neighboring Consumer’s Beverages President Neil Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh was in attendance to say a few words and, with a laugh, encouraged attendees to head next door to  Consumer’s Beverages.

“We originally purchased this property to be a Consumer’s Beverage center,” Kavanaugh said. “When … (the) bank (came) forward, it was an opportunity to let them build here. We decided to build a new building, which will be immediately behind the existing Consumer’s Beverage. We hope to get started in about 30 days. The redevelopment of this site will include the brand-new BankOnBuffalo branch, and the Consumer’s Beverage branch. …

"We’re looking forward – like Marty is – to a new commitment to this area, to this neighborhood, to this part of Niagara County, and (hope) we’ll both be here for a long, long time to come.”

BankOnBuffalo began as a start-up division of CNB Bank with a loan origination office and, in February 2017, opened a full-service bank branch on the first floor of the Electric Tower in downtown Buffalo. Since then, BankOnBuffalo has opened full-service branches in Orchard Park, Williamsville and Wheatfield, and created a new private banking and wealth management service called BankOnBuffalo Investment Advisors.

Prime banking services available include consumer and business deposit accounts, real estate, commercial, industrial, residential and consumer loans and lines of credit, treasury services, online banking, mobile banking, merchant credit card processing, remote deposit, and accounts receivable handling.

BankOnBuffalo recently opened its regional headquarters on the historic, renovated seventh floor of the Electric Tower in February. It’s also looking to establish another branch in the Town of Amherst in the future.

For more information, visit BankOnBuffalo.bank

From left, Niagara Falls City Councilman Chris Voccio, BankOnBuffalo Wheatfield Branch Manager Annette Tomlin, BankOnBuffalo President Martin T. Griffith and Consumer's Beverages President Neil Kavanaugh. 

BankOnBuffalo President Martin T. Griffith addresses the crowd at Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremony. 

Design plans for a new BankOnBuffalo branch located at 7121 Niagara Falls Blvd. 

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