Santander Bank to close branch in Pottsville
Dec. 29—Santander Bank at 120 S. Centre St. in Pottsville is closing.
The bank sent a letter to customers informing them that it is consolidating operations on March 23 into the Schuylkill Haven branch at 24-28 E. Main St.
"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and want to assure you that we are committed to providing you with exceptional service and a smooth transition," Jonathan Leyden, district executive for the mid-Atlantic region of Santander, said in a letter.
Leyden said an ATM or drive-thru ATM would remain available at the Pottsville site. A time period was not provided.
Pottsville branch customers can call 570-622-2320 to arrange to close their safe deposit boxes, but are urged to do so before Feb. 20.
Contents left after that will be inventoried and stored securely at a central Santander location, the letter said.
People with questions or concerns can call the Pottsville branch at the number above or the Schuylkill Haven branch at 570-385-3922, according to the letter.
An email from a company spokesperson, who did not provide a name, said that customer preferences have changed, with more people doing their banking online.
"Therefore, we are reimagining the customer and employee experience by simplifying our processes, refining our branch footprint, and increasing our investment in digital capabilities to align with the evolving needs of our customers," the email said.
In April 2020, the Santander branch at 2 N. Main St. in Shenandoah was closed. In November 2021, the branch at 408 E. Broad St. in Tamaqua and the branch at 333 Liberty St. in Orwigsburg were closed.
The Pottsville site is in the former Miners National Bank building.
Michael Cardamone, chairman of the Historical Architectural Review Board for the city, said the building's bronze doors featuring miners are historic.
He believes the doors date from 1927, when the structure was built, and "have some significance."
Former Pottsville Mayor James T. Muldowney said that he has fond memories of the building.
"I don't ever remember it not being a bank," the 64-year-old said, recalling going inside as a child and describing it as "majestic."
"It was the neatest place in the world," he said.
Muldowney hopes the structure can be repurposed.
"It's a beautiful building," he said.
City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said that banking has changed so he isn't surprised the branch is closing.
He also hopes the building can be repurposed.
"I'm excited to see what happens," Palamar said.
Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023
