St. Petersburg residents and businesses will have a new banking option later this year: BankUnited has announced plans to open a full-service branch in the city in the fourth quarter.
The bank said the St. Petersburg location will sit at 900 Central Avenue, and it confirmed the expansion as part of a broader push in the Tampa Bay region that included the recent opening of a Westshore, Tampa branch and a downtown Tampa corporate office.
What this means locally
The planned branch is aimed at serving both personal and commercial customers in St. Petersburg, expanding access to checking and savings accounts, lending and other services offered by the Miami Lakes–based institution.
BankUnited highlighted regional growth as a factor in the decision. The company framed the move as support for local professionals and businesses and as part of efforts to bolster the area economy through consumer banking, commercial banking and commercial real estate lending.
"Our new Westshore branch and the planned St. Petersburg branch will provide personal and commercial banking solutions to the professionals and businesses that make these communities thrive," said Ernie Diaz, senior executive vice president and head of consumer, small business and commercial banking at BankUnited.
Branch details and regional context
The new Westshore branch the bank opened in July is located at 1808 N Westshore Blvd., Tampa, and features ATM services and a night-drop depository. BankUnited described the St. Petersburg opening as scheduled for the fourth quarter, but has not released a specific opening date or staffing details for the Central Avenue location.
- Planned St. Petersburg branch: 900 Central Avenue — opening targeted Q4
- New Westshore branch: 1808 N Westshore Blvd., Tampa — now open
- Corporate growth: recent downtown Tampa corporate office to support CRE and commercial services
BankUnited also noted recent hiring in the Tampa market, including Kris-Eric Surillo as market leader for Westshore and existing Tampa/Henderson locations. The company is active in multiple markets beyond Florida, including New York, Dallas, Atlanta, New Jersey and North Carolina.
| Location | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 900 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg | Planned (Q4) | Full-service branch; no firm opening date announced |
| 1808 N Westshore Blvd., Tampa | Open | Includes ATM and night-drop depository |
For St. Petersburg residents, the new branch could mean greater in-person access to BankUnited's suite of consumer and commercial products. For local businesses, the bank's emphasis on commercial lending and corporate services may offer another source of financing as the Tampa Bay market expands.
BankUnited is publicly traded (NYSE: BKU) and markets itself as one of the larger independent depository institutions headquartered in Florida. The company did not provide details yet on hours, staff levels, or the full range of services that will be available at the Central Avenue site. More information is expected closer to the branch opening.
