It took a few decades, but Bank of Tampa is finally ready to cross the bay.

The longtime Tampa institution, which was chartered in the 1970s and has been under the same ownership since 1984, plans to open at least one branch in St. Petersburg, its first in Pinellas County.

"We might actually go into Pinellas County with two offices and see where that takes us," president and CEO Bill West said Friday. "We would like to be there by the end of 2012, and if we can get there sooner we will."

The bank is scouring for both locations and bankers rooted in Pinellas County to lead the new branches.

West said his bank had been itching to expand once it felt the recession was past. Now that earnings are picking up, asset problems have "slowed to a trickle," and loan demand is rising, the bank is feeling bullish about prospects for the next couple years, he said.

The community bank, with about $1 billion in assets and $900 million in deposits, is focused primarily on serving small businesses. It currently has nine branches, all in Hillsborough County.