A Harnett County-based community bank has entered the greater Wilmington market.

Select Bank & Trust has established a branch in Leland and will hold a ribbon cutting and grand opening March 16.

The bank, based in Dunn, purchased two office locations from Yadkin Bank late last year: 1101 New Pointe Blvd. in Leland and a branch in Morehead City, according to Leland city executive Nicholas Dyer. The Leland purchase closed Dec. 11, and the Select Bank branch opened in the space Dec. 14.

“We see a need for community banks in the market,” Dyer said Thursday, explaining that Select Bank sees its lending niche as a resource for developers of commercial and residential real estate whose borrowing needs “may not fit in the box” of larger banks’ lending policies.

Select Bank will look at real estate projects ranging from single-family developments to retail strip centers and free-standing businesses such as self-storage facilities. “That’s the market we’re really trying to attract,” he said.

As a full-service bank, Select offers retail loans as well, Dyer said. The new branch has an ATM and drive-thru. Susan Cruse, who Dyer described as a “strong consumer lender,” is the Leland branch manager.

Established in 2000, Select Bank now has 14 branches, most in eastern North Carolina, and online banking services. It has assets of about $817 million as of Dec. 31, according to its website.