By Daniel Massey
Seniors were left scrambling to gain access to their Social Security and pension checks when a Lefferts Boulevard Citibank ATM location closed its doors earlier this month, community leaders said.
The branch, located at the triangle where 83rd Avenue, Grenfeld Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard meet, closed down March 15 despite opposition from the Kew Gardens Civic Association, which contended the ATMs provided a vital service to the people of Kew Gardens.
“It’s something the community counted on as an important convenience and necessity,” said Murray Berger, executive chairman of the civic group. “They shut it down despite all sorts of appeals.”
The closure left many Kew Gardens seniors who have direct deposit on Social Security and pension checks without access to their money,” Berger said.
“It’s a shocking blow to Kew Gardens,” he said.
The nearest Citibank location is located on Continental Avenue in Forest Hills, which Berger described as “quite a trek” for many seniors to reach.
Citibank Vice President Mark Rodgers said the bank was doing all it could to ease the burden of the closing on its customers.
“We’re offering to pay parking for customers who come into that facility (Continental Avenue) and reimburse convenience fees for customers that are using other banks’ machines,” he said.
Banks typically charge customers who do not hold accounts with them $1.50 for withdrawals.
“They would have to tell us and we would credit their accounts,” said Rodgers.
The shuttered branch had been a full-service operation until five years ago, when it was converted into an ATM facility.
Rodgers said the bank’s lease expired Dec. 31 and the landlord informed the bank another tenant had been found. After Citibank made plans to close the branch, the landlord said the other tenant was not able to take the space, Rodgers said.
“But we were already ready to close the site, so we proceeded,” he said.
The closure is an isolated one and does not signify the bank has lost interest in the borough, Rodgers said.
“Citibank is committed to the Queens marketplace and community,” he added.
Berger said his group had contacted the president of Citibank and many local elected officials in an effort to keep the bank open.
“We’ve touched all the bases,” he said. “Some of them have responded well, but apparently it has had no impact.”
Reach reporter Daniel Massey by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 156.
