<ARTICLE>                         9
<LEGEND> 
               This schedule  contains summary financial  information  extracted
               from  the  Consolidated  Statement of Financial Condition at June 
               30, 1997 (Unaudited) and the Consolidated Statement of Operations
               for  the  six  months  ended  June 30, 1997  (Unaudited)  and  is 
               qualified   in  its  entirety  by  reference  to  such  financial 
               statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                       1,000
<CURRENCY>                         U.S. Dollars
       
                               
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  Dec-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                     Jan-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                       JUN-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                    1
<CASH>                             82,490
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>             0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                   7,808
<TRADING-ASSETS>                   0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>        449,422
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>             68,587
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>               68,587
<LOANS>                            1,933,980
<ALLOWANCE>                        27,200
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     2,730,474
<DEPOSITS>                         1,768,087
<SHORT-TERM>                       105,544
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                82,514
<LONG-TERM>                        620,754
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>              0
<PREFERRED>                        0
<COMMON>                           225
<OTHER-SE>                         153,350
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>     2,730,474
<INTEREST-LOAN>                    83,071
<INTEREST-INVEST>                  19,419
<INTEREST-OTHER>                   0
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                   102,490
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                 34,317
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                 54,556
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>              47,934
<LOAN-LOSSES>                      5,162
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                 942
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                    39,843
<INCOME-PRETAX>                    21,587
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>         21,587
<EXTRAORDINARY>                    0
<CHANGES>                          0
<NET-INCOME>                       13,162
<EPS-PRIMARY>                      0.54
<EPS-DILUTED>                      0.46
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                     8.32
<LOANS-NON>                        14,025
<LOANS-PAST>                       2,710
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                   5,060
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                    0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                   25,750
<CHARGE-OFFS>                      4,856
<RECOVERIES>                       1,144
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                  27,200
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>               27,200
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>            4,472