By ALLISSA KLINE
akline@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1612

The eighth - and final - new KeyBank N.A. branch in Western New York is now open, marking the end of the bank's recent new-construction activity.

The 2,356-square-foot branch at 2407 Pine Ave. in Niagara Falls is one of 40 new offices that KeyBank expects to complete in 2011. Locally, eight new branches have been constructed since mid-2009, Twenty-five others are being renovated and six new ATM kiosks have opened in the region.

Construction of the new branch began Aug. 1. It officially opened Oct. 24 and features two drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM and a night depository.

Richard Rabin is managing the branch, which employs a total of nine. Six of the employees are new hires, a spokesperson said.

The emphasis on new offices is part of KeyBank's push to expand its footprint, locally and around the country. Based in Cleveland, it is currently the fourth-largest bank in the region, according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data. The bank held $2.8 billion in local deposits as of June 30, representing 8.9 percent of the deposit share.