FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, Balance Sheet Groupings (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
ASSETS
Investment securities held to maturity (TRUPS)	$ 6,337	$ 5,163
Premises held for sale	0	3,624
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	58,977	45,777
Federal Funds Sold and Securities Borrowed or Purchased under Agreements to Resell, Fair Value Disclosure	250
Investment securities held to maturity (TRUPS)	6,337	5,163
Loans, net	4,131,038	3,718,604
Loans held for sale	1,481
Premises held for sale		4,400
Accrued Interest Receivable	12,759	12,066
Mortgage servicing rights (MSR)	383	1,006
FHLBNY capital stock	0	0
Liabilities [Abstract]
Savings, money market and checking accounts	1,775,451	1,678,737
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)	856,111	839,059
Escrow and other deposits	95,830	69,404
FHLBNY advances	1,117,125	934,336
Trust preferred securities payable	70,680	70,680
Accrued Interest Payable	3,125	2,642
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	58,977	45,777
Federal Funds Sold and Securities Borrowed or Purchased under Agreements to Resell, Fair Value Disclosure	250
Investment securities held to maturity (TRUPS)	0	0
Loans, net	0	0
Loans held for sale	0
Premises held for sale		0
Accrued Interest Receivable	1	0
Mortgage servicing rights (MSR)	0	0
FHLBNY capital stock	0	0
Liabilities [Abstract]
Savings, money market and checking accounts	1,775,451	1,678,737
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)	0	0
Escrow and other deposits	95,830	69,404
FHLBNY advances	0	0
Trust preferred securities payable	0	0
Accrued Interest Payable	0	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	0	0
Federal Funds Sold and Securities Borrowed or Purchased under Agreements to Resell, Fair Value Disclosure	0
Investment securities held to maturity (TRUPS)	0	0
Loans, net	0	0
Loans held for sale	1,481
Premises held for sale		4,400
Accrued Interest Receivable	108	178
Mortgage servicing rights (MSR)	383	1,006
FHLBNY capital stock	0	0
Liabilities [Abstract]
Savings, money market and checking accounts	0	0
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)	856,111	839,059
Escrow and other deposits	0	0
FHLBNY advances	1,117,125	934,336
Trust preferred securities payable	70,680	70,680
Accrued Interest Payable	3,125	2,642
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	0	0
Federal Funds Sold and Securities Borrowed or Purchased under Agreements to Resell, Fair Value Disclosure	0
Investment securities held to maturity (TRUPS)	6,337	5,163
Loans, net	4,131,038	3,718,604
Loans held for sale	0
Premises held for sale		0
Accrued Interest Receivable	12,650	11,888
Mortgage servicing rights (MSR)	0	0
FHLBNY capital stock	0	0
Liabilities [Abstract]
Savings, money market and checking accounts	0	0
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)	0	0
Escrow and other deposits	0	0
FHLBNY advances	0	0
Trust preferred securities payable	0	0
Accrued Interest Payable	0	0
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	58,977	45,777
Federal Funds Sold and Securities Borrowed or Purchased under Agreements to Resell, Fair Value Disclosure	250
Investment securities held to maturity (TRUPS)	5,352	5,341
Loans, net	4,034,077	3,679,366
Loans held for sale	1,481
Premises held for sale		3,624
Accrued Interest Receivable	12,759	12,066
Mortgage servicing rights (MSR)	383	628
FHLBNY capital stock	55,235	48,051
Liabilities [Abstract]
Savings, money market and checking accounts	1,775,451	1,678,737
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)	847,162	828,409
Escrow and other deposits	95,830	69,404
FHLBNY advances	1,103,225	910,000
Trust preferred securities payable	70,680	70,680
Accrued Interest Payable	$ 3,125	$ 2,642