Pubdate: Sat, 09 Jan 1999 Source: PR Newswire Copyright: 1999 PR Newswire IN THE WAR ON DRUGS, A VICTORY IS CELEBRATED IN NORTH AMITYVILLE EAB Branch Opening is Capstone of Redevelopment Effort UNIONDALE, N.Y., Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- At a site that became known nationally and notoriously as "The Four Corners" -- an intersection in North Amityville noted for drug trafficking, prostitution, and even the more than occasional murder -- EAB today held the grand opening for a new, state-of-the- art bank branch, the first ever in the community. Several ceremonies were combined into the community's celebration of the completion of the first phase of NACEC Plaza, which also includes the daycare center Tutor Time and a newly constructed Rite Aid pharmacy. (NACEC is the acronym for the North Amityville Community Economic Council which has been instrumental in achieving the redevelopment.) In addition to the EAB ribbon-cutting for its branch, the Suffolk County Police Department dedicated a community police substation, and the entire site was officially dedicated as NACEC Plaza. Local government officials, including Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, participated in the event, along with U.S. Attorney Zachary Carter from the Justice Department and HUD spokesperson Adam Glantz, both of whom represented the long-standing involvement of their departments in the area redevelopment efforts. A related event following the NACEC Plaza festivities was the dedication of the nearby North Amityville Youth Center. A "Winter Carnival" sponsored by EAB for the youth of the community and arranged by the United North Amityville Youth Organization was the centerpiece of the celebration. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the branch, EAB's president and COO Brendan Dugan commented, "EAB is here in North Amityville for the long term, to support and work with the community, and to be here and help celebrate its future accomplishments. As we proceed, we look forward as well to EAB home mortgages and home equity loans playing a big role in the future of the community." The EAB branch features tellers on TV screens and pneumatic tubes that service transactions, all designed to maximize a limited space with technological efficiencies while maintaining friendly, personalized service for customers. EAB is a New York State chartered bank with assets of $14 billion. It operates 90 branches in the New York metropolitan area, several of which are full-service in-store branches, as well as lending production facilities in New Jersey and Connecticut and, through its leasing subsidiaries, leasing offices nationwide. EAB is a wholly owned subsidiary of ABN AMRO Bank N.V., the world's eighth-largest bank, with assets of $500 billion and 1,900 locations in 71 countries. - --- MAP posted-by: Rolf Ernst