Community Bank expands Rochester area footprint with $15.6M investment

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Community Bank N.A. has deepened its commitment to the Greater Rochester market with a $15.6 million regional investment, highlighted by the opening of its first full-service branch within city limits. 

The new branch at 804 North Goodman St. marks a milestone for the DeWitt, Onondaga County-based institution, which has historically served the Rochester area primarily through commercial banking and other financial services lines. 

The expansion effort also includes a new Western New York regional headquarters and branch in Pittsford, a newly opened Webster location at 1900 Empire Blvd. and the relocation of its Henrietta branch to 300 Hylan Drive. 

“This is about building awareness and showing our long-term commitment to Rochester,” said Christopher Humphrey, regional president for Community Bank’s Western New York market and director of Middle Market Banking. “We are proud of our brand and we believe in Rochester. We aren’t going anywhere.” 

The investment is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the bank’s presence along the I-90 corridor from Albany to Buffalo, with Rochester playing a central role in that growth. 

Community Financial System Inc. (NYSE: CBU) employs 281 people across the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes region, including roughly 50 in Monroe County.  

Its newly established 11,350-square-foot headquarters at 3330 Monroe Ave.—a renovated former Xceed Financial Credit Union site—houses not only a retail branch but also several affiliated business units under its Community Financial Services umbrella. 

Those include OneGroup (insurance), BPAS (employee benefits), and Nottingham Financial Group (wealth management). Additional back-office staff are expected to relocate to leased space next door to the site this summer.  

Humphrey emphasized that the bank’s ability to combine the personalized service of a community institution with the scale of a larger organization is a key differentiator. 

“We can operate like a smaller bank, but with the capabilities and resources of a much larger one,” he said. 

Community Bank, now in its 160th year, ranks among the 100 largest banking institutions in the U.S., with more than $17 billion in assets and roughly 200 locations across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. 

Its presence in the Rochester market expanded in 2021 through its merger with Steuben Trust Corp., which added a Henrietta branch and strengthened its local footprint. 

Looking ahead, while no immediate expansion plans are in place, Humphrey noted the bank continues to evaluate opportunities—particularly on the west side of Monroe County and in northern Ontario County. 

Meanwhile, OneGroup is also positioning itself for regional growth.  

Vinse Delmage, appointed last year as regional president for Western New York and senior vice president of insurance placement, said the firm’s mid-market size allows it to compete effectively for both clients and talent. 

“We see a wealth of opportunities and talent here,” Delmage said, pointing to a growing local economy and increased business activity as key drivers in the region. 

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