Exhibit 99.1


         Bay View Capital Corp. Completes its Acquisition of America 
                   First Eureka Holdings Inc. and EurekaBank

         January 2, 1998

         SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 2, 1998--Bay View
         Capital Corp. (NASDAQ:BVCC) ("the Company") today announced the
         completion of its acquisition of America First Eureka Holdings
         Inc. ("AFEH") and its wholly owned subsidiary, EurekaBank.

         Pursuant to the merger agreement, the company today delivered
         $90 million in cash and 8,076,923 shares of the company's
         common stock to America First Financial Fund 1987-A ("AFFF"),
         the sole shareholder of AFEH.

         The number of shares issued was based on the average value of
         the company's stock for the 20 full trading days ending on the
         fifth business day prior the merger closing date, not to exceed
         $26 per share.  Based on the average value of $34.3031 during
         this period, the number of shares was determined by dividing
         the $210 million stock portion of the purchase price by $26 per
         share.

         Edward H. Sondker, the company's President and Chief Executive
         Officer, stated: "This is a significant milestone for our
         company, now the largest deposit franchise of any financial
         institution operating exclusively in the BAY Area.  We welcome
         our many new customers, employees and shareholders and promise
         to remain committed to enhancing shareholder value."

         EurekaBank Integration

         The company also announced that EurekaBank will initially
         operate under its own name.  The company anticipates that by
         May 31, 1998, the systems and products of EurekaBank and Bay
         View Bank will be fully integrated at which time all EurekaBank
         branches will convert to Bay View Bank branches.

         Goodwill Generated From Merger

         Based on the closing share price of the company's common stock
         on Dec. 31, 1997, of $36.25 per share, this transaction is
         valued at approximately $383 million.  The company originally
         estimated and disclosed that the goodwill generated from this
         merger, accounted for under the purchase method of accounting,
         would approximate $112 million.  The company also disclosed
         that no additional goodwill would be created to the extent the







         average value of the company's stock exceeded $26 per share.
         The company is currently in the process of evaluating the fair
         value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed today to
         determine the final goodwill amount.

         AFFF Distribution

         AFFF will make a liquidating distribution of all of the
         company's stock and cash held by AFFF to the general and
         limited partners of AFFF in accordance with their interest in
         AFFF.  Beneficial Unit Certificate ("BUC") holders of record on
         Jan. 2, 1998, will receive cash in the amount of $11.3553 and
         1.137915 shares of Bay View Capital Corp. common stock for each
         BUC.  The distribution will occur on or about Jan. 5, 1998.

         BUC holders will receive cash in lieu of any fractional shares
         of Bay View Capital Corp. common stock that they would
         otherwise receive in the distribution.  The shares of Bay View
         Capital Corp. common stock issued in conjunction with the
         transaction will trade on a when-issued basis effective today
         under the NASDAQ symbol BVCCV until the shares have been
         distributed.

         As disclosed in the proxy material, there will be a $2.1
         million reserve maintained by AFFF for partnership wind-up
         expenses.  After Jan. 2, 1998, the BUCs will cease trading on
         NASDAQ.  AFFF, however, will not be liquidated until sometime
         later in the first quarter of 1998.  At that time, after all
         the final expenses have been accounted for, there will be a
         final distribution of cash made to all BUC holders.  While it
         is impossible to determine the exact amount of the cash
         distribution at this time, the current estimate of this final
         distribution is approximately $0.15 per BUC.

         Bay View Capital Corp. is a diversified financial services
         holding company for Bay View Bank, including EurekaBank, Bay
         View Credit (formerly California Thrift & Loan), Ultra Funding
         Inc. And Concord Growth Corp.