<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>                      0.46
<EPS-DILUTED>                      0.37
<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>            0