SAN Banco Santander SA

BOSTON, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Bank celebrated the relocation of one of its Manhattan branches today from the Flatiron District to a more visible and highly trafficked location just outside Union Square. The Bank marked the occasion with a $5,000 donation to the pioneering non-profit organization, Third Street Music School Settlement, the nation's longest-running community music school located just a few short blocks away from the branch in its new East Village neighborhood.

Santander executives and team members attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting to officially open the new Union Square area branch at 13^th Street & Broadway – just seven blocks south of the branch's former location in the Flatiron District at 251 Park Avenue South & East 20th Street.

Elsie Leon-Cruz, region president for the Santander's Metro New York/Northern New Jersey region, commented, "As the gateway to downtown, the vibrant Union Square area is an ideal location for our newest branch. Staffed with a knowledgeable team of Santander bankers, whether you want to open an account, apply for a loan or you just have questions, people can feel comfortable walking in to the branch knowing our team members are here to help you achieve your financial goals and provide you with a great customer experience. We look forward to welcoming new and existing customers."

Leon-Cruz added, "At Santander, we recognize the importance of investing in our neighborhoods. Music and the arts are the lifeblood of this community so it seemed only fitting to celebrate our first day in the area by making a donation to the Third Street Music School Settlement, an incredible community organization that provides music and arts education to over 5,000 students at its East Village school and in more than two dozen public schools across New York City."

Valerie G. Lewis, Third Street Music School Settlement's Executive Director said, "As the nation's longest-running community music school, Third Street Music School Settlement welcomes Santander Bank to the community.  We are so pleased to receive a generous gift from Santander Bank to support the work we do providing music and arts education to those who seek its enrichment.  Third Street truly looks forward to partnering with Santander Bank on future endeavors together to serve our friends and neighbors."

Conveniently accessible to several mass transit stations and bus lines, Santander's Union Square branch occupies a 2,300 square foot, street- level space on a busy street corner visible from Union Square Park. The full-service branch features a new design aimed at improving the customer experience with an open layout and comfortable meeting "nooks" where bankers can meet with customers to discuss their financial needs.  There is also a 24-hour zone with two full-service ATMs. The branch will continue to introduce new technologies as they evolve to help customers meet their banking goals. 

Santander's Flatiron branch closed for business on April 29^th and customers were previously notified by letter. The Union Square branch officially opened to customers on May 2^nd.

Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the country's top retail and commercial banks by deposits and a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, S.A. - one of the most respected banking groups in the world. With its corporate offices in Boston, Santander Bank's more than 670 branches and nearly 2,100 ATMs are principally located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Bank's 9,400 employees are committed to helping our 2.1 million customers make progress toward their financial goals with the support of our call centers, interactive online banking platform and easy to-use mobile app. Madrid-based Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN) serves more than 117 million customers in the U.K., Europe, Latin America and the U.S. Through its local affiliates, including Santander Bank, Banco Santander is the largest corporate contributor to higher education in the world, investing over $165 million annually in colleges and universities across more than 20 countries, including the U.S. For more information on Santander Bank, please visit www.santanderbank.com.

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SOURCE Santander Bank, N.A.