National City Closes Friday

All National City Bank branches in southwestern PA will close at 4:00pm Friday and reopen at 8:00 Monday morning as PNC branches. Pittsburgh-based PNC purchased Cleveland-based National City more than a year ago and has been working on the transition ever since. PNC Market manager Jim Balouris says all National City customers were sent several letters over the summer, and branch workers have been warning them that the change was coming.

Last week National City customers were sent new check cards, and Balouris says they will have to be activated over the weekend either through an 800- number or at a PNC ATM. The National City web pages will be taken down Friday afternoon, and customers will have no online access until Monday. Balouris says anyone who needs access to his or her accounts can do so at any PNC branch. As part of the buyout, PNC acquired all of National City’s routing numbers so old National City checks will continue to work and any direct deposits or withdrawals will go through without any problems.

Balouris says a few National City customers had to be issued new account numbers. “There were a few duplicate account numbers", says Balouris. He says no employees were allowed to take vacation this week or next week. A small percentage of National City branches and their customers were sold to First Niagara. Those transitions have already taken place.