Flushing Bank goes modern in Midtown

THE LATEST trend in banking has gained a new foothold in Manhattan.

Flushing Bank will unveil a state-of-the-art branch in Midtown on Wednesday that replaces traditional tellers — and the counters they work from — with “universal bankers” who serve as hybrid, multitasking problem solvers.

That’s only if customers need help with transactions the branch’s newfangled, double-screen ATM machines can’t handle.

“The universal banker concept is meant to provide an all-in-one experience with one highly trained person who takes care of all your needs,” said Flushing Bank CEO John Buran. “It’s the modern way of doing things.”

A handful of large lenders across the U.S. have initiated the model within the past couple of years, including Bank of America and Santander, as a way of counteracting the growing move towards online and mobile banking.

Flushing Bank, headquartered in Uniondale, L.I., is the first New York area community bank to adopt the concept. Founded 80 years ago, the bank has 19 branches, mostly in Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island. The newest, at 99 Park Ave. and E. 39th St., is only its second in Manhattan.

“This isn’t a financial institution dictating to customers how to bank; this is an institution repositioning how consumers want to bank,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com.

“It wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last.”