Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem

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Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem, Inc.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Automotive
Founded	2006
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Fate	Entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, ceased operations following the GM restructuring
Headquarters	New York City , U.S.
Area served	New York metropolitan area
Products	Automobiles
Brands	Chevrolet Saturn
Parent	General Motors

Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem, Inc., was an automobile dealership situated in the East Harlem section of New York City. Initially promoted as a minority-owned enterprise and recognized as the sole new car dealership in the Harlem area, it was relinquished by its original management within a few months and subsequently operated directly by General Motors. On June 1, 2009, it served as the primary entity in General Motors’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in New York.

Overview

The Harlem auto mall commenced operations in February 2006, with its formal inauguration taking place on June 2, 2006. Positioned between 2nd and 3rd Avenues along 127th Street in East Harlem, this was Manhattan’s largest dealership complex and the only location offering new vehicles north of 57th Street. It marked the first presence of new car dealerships in Harlem in four decades. The facility was operated by Otis Thornton, an African American entrepreneur and Buick dealer based in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The Chevrolet and Saturn dealerships within the mall garnered attention as a significant minority-owned business venture. The opening ceremony drew notable figures including Jesse Jackson, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, General Motors’ chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation Andrew Alper, and Iris Weinshall, commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation.

The project was financed through $60 million in private capital coupled with $17 million in tax-exempt empowerment zone bonds provided by the NYCEDC's New York City Industrial Development Agency. Situated on city-owned land leased via a neighboring dealership within the Harlem Auto Mall, the initiative was promoted by city officials as having created approximately 150 jobs initially with projections to expand employment to around 200 positions.

Despite this promising start, Otis Thornton resigned from his role in December 2006. Following his departure, General Motors assumed direct management of the dealership with plans to operate it until a new proprietor could be secured.

On June 1, 2009, Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem became the initial GM subsidiary to initiate a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. This filing was strategic to establish jurisdiction over General Motors’ comprehensive Chapter 11 restructuring process. Moments later that day, General Motors Corporation along with its other subsidiaries submitted their filings within the same court. Despite these legal proceedings, an individual at the dealership identified himself as its "owner" but declined to reveal his identity or provide further comments regarding the bankruptcy.

Ultimately, General Motors shuttered the dealership in January 2011. By 2018, ownership under the Potamkin family announced plans to sell the extensive property spanning approximately 765,000 square feet in East Harlem.