M&T Bank opened its newest branch at Southgate Plaza in West Seneca this week, the first branch built with a contemporary new design serving as a model for future branch construction and renovation.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100324/NY75933 )

The office was constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards (LEED) established by the U.S. Green Building Council and will soon be LEED registered. LEED is a rating system distinguishing high-performance buildings with less impact on the environment.

"This new design is energy efficient and it also creates a contemporary new look to attract and welcome customers," said M&T Bank President Mark J. Czarnecki. "M&T has always believed in being actively involved in the communities we serve and our new branch was designed with our customers and the community in mind."

Work began with demolition of an old, vacant building that M&T acquired from Citibank in 2006. The project was designed by the international design firm Pentagram, working with the Buffalo-area firms Hamilton Houston Lownie Architects and Kideney Architects.

"We paid a great deal of attention to how we could create a signature design for M&T's retail business that both embraces and respects the long traditions of bank architecture. M&T has been headquartered in Buffalo for more than 150 years and this region has a rich architectural history, so this is where we wanted to debut our new branch design," said M&T Bank Chief Marketing Officer Peter J. Eliopoulos.

One of the primary architectural elements of the new building is a colonnade, which was inspired by the iconic One M&T Plaza building, designed by Minoru Yamasaki, in downtown Buffalo.

The main lobby is a large, open banking hall, reminiscent of the way banks were constructed in the early 20th Century, designed to create a memorable and welcoming point of arrival.

The branch includes four drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM and a lobby enhanced to serve the natural flow of customer activity, including a new technology-centered "M&T Store."

M&T already has plans for other new branches, and branch renovations, based on the architectural prototype developed in West Seneca.

  Features of the new branch design include:

  --  Natural light is used extensively, with three large skylights in the
      main lobby.

  --  Interior lighting uses a combination of fluorescent lamps, ceramic
      metal halide lamps, and light emitting diodes (LED's). Light sensors
      monitor sunlight levels and dim the artificial lighting in spaces with
      sufficient sunlight.

  --  Heating is provided by 97% efficient gas-fired hot water boilers.

  --  An automated control system constantly monitors the heating, cooling
      and ventilation, using carbon dioxide monitoring to control fresh air
      ventilation and a "free-cooling" mode that draws in cool air at night
      to pre-cool the building.

  --  The walls are made with a highly insulated, recyclable steel panel
      system.

M&T relocated from its existing Southgate Plaza branch March 22. Southgate managers Sue Buerster, Rene Polcyn and a staff of 23 employees moved into the new building. The professional team at Southgate is prepared to serve its customer base in West Seneca with a modern new facility and additional tools.

M&T Bank Corporation, founded in 1856, is one of the top 20 commercial bank holding companies in the nation, with more than 750 branch offices in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia and West Virginia. More information is available at www.mtb.com.

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