Wachovia, First Union deal alters branch landscape.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

Business people in South Florida might have to wait until 2003 for all the sign switches coming from the merger of First Union Corp. and Wachovia Corp., which follows Wachovia's recent purchase of Republic Security Financial Corp. of West Palm Beach.

South Florida looms as a market where the merging banks will carry out some of their heaviest branch closings amid those back-to-back mergers.

South Florida also will be a market where banks and savings & loans will attempt to take customers dissatisfied with the changes.

"A merger of another megabank can't do anything but help us," said Vince Elhilow, president and CEO of $1.9 billion-asset Fidelity Federal Bank & …