History

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation acquired a 51% shareholding in Marine Midland Bank of New York State, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, in 1980 and extended to full ownership in 1987. The banks continued to operate under the Marine Midland name until 1998, when the branch offices were rebranded as HSBC Bank USA. After the acquisition of Republic National Bank in 1999, the head office of HSBC Bank USA moved from One HSBC Center in Buffalo to 452 Fifth Avenue, New York City, although the official headquarters are in Wilmington, Delaware.

Operations

There are some 400 HSBC branches throughout New York in addition to some 20 to 25 branches in other states, including Florida and California. There was a branch office on the ground floor of the World Trade Center in New York City.

HSBC Direct is HSBC's attempt to compete nationally with other Internet banks such as Citibank Direct, Emigrant Direct, GMAC Bank, ING Direct, and VirtualBank.

Properties

Marine Midland owned several prominent properties, including the Marine Midland Building at 140 Broadway in Manhattan, near the World Trade Center. Completed in 1967, this 52-story, 688 ft (209.7 m) highrise provides 1.2 million square feet (110,000 m²) of office space in lower Manhattan and is noted for the distinctive Noguchi's Cube sculpture at its entrance. One HSBC Center is the tallest building in Buffalo, and is noted for its open entry level, under which the Buffalo Metro Rail passes.

Also of note, Marine Midland had purchased naming rights to the Buffalo sports and entertainment venue constructed in 1996, the Marine Midland Arena, home of the Buffalo Sabres. Today, the venue is known as the HSBC Arena.