Banks shuffle downtown Indy locations

Centier Bank intends to fill the downtown office space to be vacated by First Financial Bank, which recently opened elsewhere downtown.

Cincinnati-based First Financial plans to close its office on the northeast corner of Pennsylvania and Washington streets May 29, according to a sign posted on its doors.

Meanwhile, Merrillville-based Centier Bank filed plans with the city earlier this month to install new signage on that building. Its lone branch in the region is at 568 E. Carmel Drive in Carmel.

In July, First Financial announced that it had agreed to a 10-year lease on about 18,000 square feet of space on the 14th floor of the 300 N. Meridian office tower, to be occupied by executive, administrative and sales operations.

First Financial also opened a 1,500-square-foot branch in the building.

First Financial’s presence in 300 N. Meridian will take the place of its current hub and branch at 433 N. Capitol Ave., where it leased about 9,000 square feet of office space and operated a smaller branch.

First Financial entered the Indianapolis market in 2008. In 2011, it acquired Flagstar Bank’s 22 Indiana locations, 18 of which were in the Indianapolis area.