Mo' Banks: North Fork, Wachovia

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[Photo via Curbed]

1) Upper East Side: The shiny 18-floor development at 300 East 79th Street on the UES will soon be home to a North Fork Bank. Let's step back for a moment, now, and look at the numbers. Since we've begun monitoring new bank openings (early April), North Fork has been very, very busy—they've opened or announced the opening of three outposts. Tied with North Fork for most aggressive recent expansion is Chase, who also announced/opened three locations within the past four months. Bank of American, Valley National and Wachovia trail with two each, while Sovereign, First Central, Marathon and Citi each have only one new branch to their names. WaMu, where you at? [Curbed]

2) Upper West Side: A reader writes in with a detailed update on the very active UWS retail scene: "So the Hot & Crusty just moved three stores north to 88th and Broadway, leaving vacant a strip of three stores. What is going in there? Some say a Walgreen's. The newly expanded Georgia's Bakery across the street at 89th and Bway is looking good, one of the few bright spots on the new openings front. Time Cafe/Fez at 84th and Broadway is becoming a Wachovia (ugh, who needs another bank?) and Fish's Eddy/Zen Palate/Dale & Thomas Popcorn at 78th and Broadway have all been vacated for "redevelopment." What's going in there, and what's going in to the big Morris Bros. store at 84th and Broadway? The On the Ave Hotel is upstairs and does not appear to be going anywhere, so how redeveloped could they be getting?" Direct any and all answers and/or speculation this way, if you will. [Racked Inbox]