NATCHEZ — Delta Bank officials say they are currently negotiating a purchase agreement for a parcel of land on U.S. 61 South.

Delta Bank, which operates branches in Vidalia, Ferriday, Tallulah and Lake Providence, announced in February its intentions to open a full-service branch in Natchez.

Federal and state regulators approved the expansion of the Louisiana-based bank into Mississippi in April, and the company plans to open a temporary location at 507 John R. Junkin Drive this summer.

A permanent location, company officials said at the time, would follow in 18 months to two years.

Delta Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Ed Haworth said Monday the company is in the process of negotiating a purchase agreement for the land on U.S. 61 South, near Eastbrook Road.

Haworth said he hopes the agreement would be finalized by the end of next month.

The current owner, Vidal Davis, has started preparing the land as part of the details of the purchase agreement, Haworth said.

Those preparations, Haworth said, included demolishing the Berry’s Seafood Restaurant building.

Haworth and Will Devening, who will lead the bank’s Natchez branch, declined to discuss further details until the purchase agreement was finalized.