The site of GM’s former North Tarrytown Assembly plant will soon be redeveloped into retail, residential and public space. We thought we’d have a look at the plant’s long history before the space that housed it would be turned into retail and housing space later this year.
Located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about 25 miles (40 km) north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, the North Tarrytown plant didn’t belong to GM at first. That’s because it was initially owned by the Stanley Steam Car Company in 1896, with Maxwell-Briscoe acquiring the plant in 1903 from the Ingersoll-Rand Drill Company. Chevrolet acquired individual areas of the complex in 1914 and 1915.
At that time, Chevy was an independent automaker that wasn’t part of General Motors. But when GM acquired Chevrolet in 1918, The General also inherited the Tarrytown plant. Over the next several decades, 12 million General Motors products would come to be assembled at the complex.
The last vehicles manufactured at the plant were GM’s second-generation minivans — the Chevrolet Lumina APV, Pontiac TranSport, and Oldsmobile Silhouette triplets. Unfortunately, the trio didn’t sell well, which prompted GM to shutter the plant in June 1996 — exactly 100 years after its opening in 1896 — and dismiss its 2,100 workers. In closing Tarrytown Assembly, GM moved production of the minivans to its Doraville Assembly plant in Georgia, which was also shuttered shortly after.
At its prime, the plant provided the North Tarrytown village, later renamed to Sleepy Hollow, roughly 49 percent of its total tax revenue. The plant was demolished in the summer of 1999, and the land that housed the plant — known today as Lighthouse Landing — was acquired in late 2014 by Diversified Realty Advisors and SunCal for $39.5 million. Throughout 2015, the former industrial site will be transformed into 1,177 residential units, 135,000 square feet of retail space (including a cinema and an “urban market”), a 140-room hotel, and a 16.1-acre waterfront park.
So long, Terrytown Assembly. We hardly knew ya.
Comments
I knew it. Worked there for a year. Expensive area for an auto plant
My ’63 export RHD Impala was built in this plant. So long Tarrytown.
My father, Stephen Masarek, worked at the plant for 39 years, from 1935 until retiring in 1974. my family and I made a ‘pilgrimage” to the barren site last summer. It will interesting and bittersweet to see the progress made the next time we are in the area.
It provided a good life for those that worked there. Too bad GM choose to build those junk mini vans there or at all for that matter. Probably would have still been there if they continued to build great cars back then.
My father Louis Mitchell work there, 1947-1974. Retired GM have him a clock , it stills runs. We were considered (The General Motors babies) It built up Tarrytown,Elmsford,Greenburgh, Yonkers, Hastings, White Plains and evening the Bronx. Anchor motors would pull the cars to destinations and railroad also. You had to see it to believe it.
My father, Stephen Masarek, also retired in 1974 after 39 years there. (See prior postings) He was given a clock too. I vaguely recall seeing it. Unfortunately, we think someone too it during a move.
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I delivered parts to this plant in 1994. Some of the nicest people I encountered on the road worked the docks at this plant.
I recently visited the new development in that area. My father worked at this plant for many years. My brother and I were both born in Tarrytown. Good ol’ days.
We had one of those “junk” vans built at Tarrytown, a ’94 Silhouette with the 3800 V6 and loaded with leather and power everything. The styling was a little funky but it was a smooth, comfortable, quiet, reliable vehicle that took us on many vacations to the Outer Banks in the summer and Florida in the winter, and did daily driver duty the rest of the year. In 2007 with 165k miles on it and still looking, driving, and running well we handed it down to my niece who had three young kids. I didn’t like the second generation Silhouettes (not as much personality and no 3800) so we bought a Chrysler Town and Country instead (and we still have it).
I just discovered that my grandfather Medric Saulnier worked here for 20 years before relocating to Bathurst, N.B, Canada. I wish there was a way I could find employee history. Perhaps an old photo buried somewhere online? If you have a department that could assist me further I’d be very grateful! I can also provide further detail in regards to his start and end date. Thanks!
i worked at that plant for 5 1/2 years in hardtrim (emergency break cable) was the last job i did for that mini van, pontiac transport,chevy lumina, and oldsmobile Silhouette befor that was the 6000, century T-type i love the job but got laid off in oct of 90 and they offered me a buyout took it $36,000 after taxes 26600 i love running from the punch out clock up the 1steps and down that long walkway to the escalators and slide down to the exit and run to the car to get to the bars to cash the our weekly checks you get food with the bar cashing them my name david romero aka Rambo not the one from bodyshop! haha
we use to say “RAMBO” he’d say (“your a**”) the view from the lower paking area was the best next to the light house the tapping zee bridge was awsome i had some pictures of the retooling as they call it befor change over in august
I loved running that hallway. There from 85 to 91
Tim Shaws girlfriend at the time 🙂
When I worked there, the hallway after the escalator was considered “free area” and was where the loan sharks used to wait to get their weekly “dividend” from their marks back in the late 60s-early 70s. I also remember being there when some guy tried to get out of the plant without “visiting” his shark. Know that area under the escalator entrance? He got a “talking to” that required him to be delivered home, since he couldn’t drive. And since it was those times, the plant guards saw their responsibility starting at the steps AFTER the overpass on the plant side, so what happened beyond there, well….and we also used to get our paychecks cashed up on Main (and get a hot pastrami sandwich..) in my case because I was not able to get far enough ahead on my $4.25 an hour to enable me to start a bank account. That took the better part of a year.
Hey Norman I was there from 85 to 91 took a buyout.
Terri
Felt sorry for the guys that went to Lordstown to build the “revolutionary” Vega on its “space age” production line. That didn’t work out. Worse, at the same time, the Ford plant in Mahwah was closing. Pretty much closed out the unskilled-labor-in-a-factory jobs in the Hudson Valley.
Wonder if we work together Rambo would like to talk if possible thanks
Sure haven’t been here in while but now live in fl and just taking it easy ill start checking for post from now on ann
My lovely white 1964 Chevy Impala 1739 4 door hardtop was exported to Lima, Peru from this plant. It now lives very well in London, U.K. God bless all who worked there. Thank you for making a beautiful product that has lasted 54 years!
my beautiful 64 impala still all factory is a constant reminder of a bygone era…55 years on will your Prius or Civic still be alive?
I drove my stepfathers car a 71 pontiac grand prix beige and brown max Mejia drove little green chevy chevtte
My Dad ,Bill Lisa worked there over 18 yrs back then,he was in the million mile club.
My car was built there and I want a signature from an employee who use to work there?
What car do you have..I worked there from 85 to 91
I worked there from 85 to 91..Loved it 🙂
I worked as a rail loader for about a year around 92,93. We drove the new vans onto the train cars, hook the frames and rachet them down tight. It sucked in winter with all the snow.
What car do you have..I worked there from 85 to 91
Worked with Jack Powers in the 1960’s at the Tarrytown plant…..great experience. Bill O’Connor
Iworkedthirfrom1974to1980ilovedit
I worked there during the ’68-’70 model years. It paid $4.25 an hour at peak. I was so broke for so long on that pittance I couldn’t even start a bank account. That took 6 months. I was an Inspector on the final car line right in front of the cafeteria at first. When I got on days I moved to inspection on the truck chassis line. It was an industrial nightmare. They used to bring the parts supply trains into the building, locomotive spewing smoke, while we were working. Between shifts the forklifts used to be left on idle and there’d be a two-foot-deep smoke layer around them. Worst part was when the “quality control” guy came round. We knew SOMEBODY would get sent home and docked the balance of the shift for some BS, usually something you didn’t even know you were supposed to do. Capping it off was the knowledge we had that Tarrytown most assuredly did not want Negroes or “Puerto Ricans” (covering all Latinos) living there. No fond memories from The Line.
Sorry you went through that Norman
Terri, no worries: my inspector (Santiago)asked me one night, “Norman, why are you here?”. I told him I didn’t have time for philosophy. He asked me again. I said “Santiago, man, what do you want?”. He said “I want to know why you’re here keeping some guy from this job when you can do better.” That stopped me. The next week I organized myself and put in applications to four colleges. I got accepted at Columbia University, graduated, and went on to Graduate School at Syracuse University on a scholarship. So God Bless Santiago wherever he might be today and as for GM I thank them for showing me exactly where I shouldn’t have been.
Worked there from 1957 to 1960.I was 18 when I started ,it was a big adventure , I would get up at 5.a.m and drive from Arthur Ave in the Bronx to Tarrytown,@ lot of guys from the neighborhood worked there. Eventually one by one most left including myself to pursue other venues, it was hard monotonous work but the pay was good. I became a Body man and owned a shop for many yews before becoming Teacher . Lot of good hard working people worked there.
My father-in-law, Joseph Torres worked at the Tarrytown location from 1957 to 1992. He worked on the assembly line.
Nancy, I was on the line at GMAD Tarrytown during the 68-70 model years, first on the inspection (mezzanine trim) line in front of the cafeteria and later on the truck (chassis) line upstairs.
I have absolutely no photographs of my great grandfather. I believe he was employed as a night watchman at the GM plant in North Tarrytown when, or just prior to his death in 1920. I wonder if, as an employee, there might be a photo of him, perhaps as an ID or in an file.
Just finished revamping a 49 Chevy 5 window out built there. Runs a little better with the 5.3 LS motor and 4L60E trans, camaro front and rear. Looks stock with 40+ old black paint.
I was born and raised in North White Plains so makes it even a better find. It’s now
here in Las Vegas out of the snow.
buenas, tengo una chevrolet c10 custom del 63′ pick up. y por los numeros de la carroceria nacio en tarrytow. soy de uruguay saludos a los que hieiceron posible esas obras de arte.
Was looking for a GM plant in Buffalo that my grandfather was involved in building around 1923. It took me to this area and found your posts. Read a letter of his to family how he had just finished building this plant and had his first child born my mother. Not sure of all the history of the plant but nice to here of people who survived working for GM here. Worked at a GM plant in saginaw michigan called the grey iron. Was on a 350 block pouring line. Another reason can relate to these posts.
My father worked there in the early 60’s, I remember he took me on a tour, when I was about 10. I can still see the cars going down the assembly line, I believe he was an inspector.
My great grandfather, George J Orléans worked there in the 1920’s. It had several name changes. I know he was a foreman and a production manager. If anyone has any information about the plant in the 1920’s, especially the people … let me know.