Community Bank to Open Branch at Site of Former Truist Bank on Linden Street in Bethlehem; Two Other Locations Planned in Bethlehem, Whitehall

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

Community Bank N.A. has filed to open a branch on Linden Street in Bethlehem, at the site of a former Truist bank.

The branch will serve a stretch of Linden Street with lots of traffic and new development.

Community Bank, based in DeWitt, New York, acquired the property for $1.5 million in June. The branch has a history that reflects the changes in Lehigh Valley banks. It was a National Penn branch, then KNBT and later BB&T.

SunTrust and BB&T merged in 2019. The 2943 Linden St. branch did not survive that deal.

The bank is on a busy stretch of Linden Street, near Walgreens, a daycare center, and across from a gas station, Linden Beverage and the Linden Lofts, apartments being completed on the site of the former Stefano’s restaurant.

Community Bank also will open branches at 306 S. New St. in Bethlehem, and 1323 Grape St. in Whitehall Township, according to documents filed with the federal banking regulator.

About 1.5 miles to the north of the Linden Street site are shopping centers at the intersection of Route 191 and Route 22, with WalMart, Aldi, Home Depot, Giant and other stores.