Bringing local banking back to Ybor City after years in which the neighborhood hasn’t had a community bank, USAmeriBank has leased the former Columbia Bank building at 2028 East 7th Avenue and plans to open a branch there in December.
The move reflects Ybor’s growing stature as an attractive spot for businesses, in particular technology and creative companies that find the neighborhood an appealing mix of culture, history and convenience, a mile northeast of downtown Tampa. USAmeriBank will focus on providing capital for growing area companies and will locate its 8-person small business lending operation at the branch.
In all, the bank will bring 14 employees to the location, while insurance agency partner Connelly, Carlisle, Fields & Nichols will be opening its Tampa office there, with 15 employees. The opening will take place after a renovation of the vacant 11,800-square-foot Columbia Bank building, built in 1936 and formerly the site of a bank that thrived in the neighborhood for decades. The renovation will highlight the building’s architectural features, while also emphasizing Ybor’s importance to area commerce.
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“We already have a number of significant clients in Ybor, and this location will build on that,” said Joe Chillura, CEO of USAmeriBank. “We are excited to bring local banking back to Ybor, and about how this move ties into a rebirth of Ybor as a center for business.”
Tied to the branch opening, M.G. “Manny” Alvarez Jr., a longtime Tampa banking leader, has joined USAmeriBank as Senior Vice President and Community Affairs Director. Also, Shari Middleton will be Senior Vice President/Branch Manager, and Milly Suarez has joined the bank as Assistant Branch Manager. All three, who formerly worked with BB&T, have deep ties to the area’s Hispanic community.
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Building its new Ybor operations around these new employees reflects USAmeriBank’s mission of “building banks around people.” The Ybor location will be USAmeriBank’s eighth retail branch, all in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
Earlier this year, USAmeriBank was named one of the nation’s best-performing community banks in a list compiled by SNL Financial. The bank’s growth is driven by its business lending, as its lenders have the financial backing needed to help growing companies, combined with the personal service that is the hallmark of a local, independent bank.
About USAmeriBank: USAmeriBank is an independent, non-public bank based in Clearwater, Fla. that has established itself as an outstanding middle-market financial institution. The bank serves the needs of individuals and businesses in the Tampa Bay area by providing a high-level of personalized service and attention to a targeted customer base. USAmeriBank’s parent company is USAmeriBancorp, Inc. More information is available at www.USAmeriBank.com.