<ARTICLE>                                            9
<LEGEND>
        THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AT SEPTEMBER 30, 1997
        (UNAUDITED) AND THE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE NINE
        MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 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>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
<CASH>                                         113,734
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                         0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                               1,534
<TRADING-ASSETS>                               4,237
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    495,093
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         59,953
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           59,953
<LOANS>                                        1,963,227
<ALLOWANCE>                                    28,350
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 2,844,996
<DEPOSITS>                                     1,763,373
<SHORT-TERM>                                   128,369
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            94,940
<LONG-TERM>                                    701,756
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       223
<OTHER-SE>                                     156,335
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 2,844,996
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                127,404
<INTEREST-INVEST>                              28,606
<INTEREST-OTHER>                               0
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               156,010
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                             51,510
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             84,250
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                          71,760
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                  8,833
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                             2,631
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                60,744
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                32,114
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     32,114
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   19,591
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.81
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.68
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                 8.32
<LOANS-NON>                                    12,487
<LOANS-PAST>                                   580
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                               3,855
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                               25,750
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                  8,322
<RECOVERIES>                                   2,089
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                              28,350
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                           28,350
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                            0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                        4,726