Bank to open branch in Plaza

Adam Lidgett

Village of Great Neck Plaza trustees approved a conditional-use permit for New York City-based Metropolitan Commercial Bank on Thursday, paving the way for a planned branch opening in September.

“We’re very pleased Great Neck Plaza is the first suburban bank for Metropolitan Commercial Bank,” Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender said, referring to the bank’s four New York City locations. “We like to be first.”

Trustees in early March expressed concerns about traffic and a lack of parking at 111 Great Neck Road, where the proposed bank is to be located, after the bank presented plans that called for the elimination of 16 parking spaces to make way for the installation of two drive-through ATM machines.

But Daniel Winkelman, the bank’s engineer with the firm VHB Engineering, said Tuesday he was able to find room for 21 parking spaces that would offset the 16 lost to make way for the installation of two drive-through ATM machines.

Winkelman said he was able to do so while leaving sufficient room for cars to move throughout the parking lot.

“The building is unique in that it has two underground parking garages, but there was an excess of space on those two levels,” said Mark DeFazio, president and CEO of Metropolitan. “[Winkelman] identified that excess space could be used for parking.”

DeFazio said the drive-through ATM’s will save customers would save time and accommodate people who do not want to find a parking spot to make a withdrawal.

Construction on the bank, he said, is expected begin sometime in May.

Trustees said people currently enter and exit the property in the wrong direction, and that they are concerned the increased traffic the bank will create will make the problem worse.

David Hercman, property manager of 111 Great Neck Road, said he has done as much planning as possible to keep motorists driving in the right direction.

“We’ve repainted and put a ‘do not enter’ sign up,” Hercman said. “But if someone makes an illegal turn, we really don’t have much authority to punish it.”

DeFazio, who opened Metropolitan in 1999, said the bank’s engineers will try to find away to improve traffic flow in the parking area with better signage.

Metropolitan’s headquarters is located at 99 Park Ave. in Manhattan. It has three locations in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn.

DeFazio said he has been looking to expand outside of the city and thought Great Neck was an underserved community.

“North Fork Bank did a fairly good job of serving small to mid-sized businesses but I don’t think Capital One has done a good job when they took up the space,” DeFazio said. “We bring a level of service and attention and Great Neck seems to be a good launching pad.”

Capital One Bank acquired North Fork in 2006.

DeFazio said Metropolitan already has a good relationship with Great Neck residents, who have business in New York City.

He said he plans to invest in many small businesses in Great Neck, which he hopes will lead to the opening of more Metropolitan branches across Long Island.

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