B of A plans to close 450 California offices.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Bank-America Corp. said it would push consolidation of Security Pacific Corp. by closing about 450 California branches - mostly Security sites in the southern half of the state -- by April.

The closures, eliminating locations that have become redundant, come on top of the previously announced sale or shutdown of 302 branches, mostly in other western states. The moves, which analysts expected, will enable the bank to serve the same base of customers with fewer personnel and, eventually, with lower property costs.

BankAmerica will end up with an estimated 1,765 branches, 30% fewer than the combined banks had when their holding companies merged last April.

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