Gurley Leep Automotive Family breaks ground on transformational 70-acre campus in Mishawaka

Gurley Leep Automotive Family invited community leaders and select guests to the groundbreaking of its latest facility in Mishawaka on Monday, April 27. The new 70-acre Gurley Leep Auto Campus is set to transform the excellent service Gurley Leep is able to provide its customers and clients by bringing several amenities, businesses, and car brands together in one location.

The event began with opening remarks from Gurley Leep President Mike Leep, Jr. The groundbreaking is an important first step in continuing Gurley Leep’s vision of creating maximum convenience for its customers.

“We’re investing in the future,” Leep said. “It’s not just buildings; it’s people. The buildings we’re in now are old, and while there have been some remodels, they’re just not laid out the way we do business in the car industry today. We’ve been really intentional about making sure that the decisions we make here are going to work today, in 10 years, in 30 years, in 50 years. We want this to be an amazing place to purchase or service your vehicle.”

Gurley Leep was founded over 50 years ago in Hammond by Mike Leep, Sr. and Van Gurley. Throughout its long history in Northern Indiana, the automotive group has been committed to bettering its communities and the lives of the people it serves. This Mishawaka campus is a continuation of that mission.

The new campus brings several dealerships, corporate offices, and guest amenities together in one convenient location. In addition to making business with Gurley Leep quick and easy, the campus will feature parks and recreational activities for guests to utilize during their visit, such as a dog park, a cafe, and a putting green.

“This is a connected, 70-acre campus in its entirety. We’re going to have 11 brands represented here in one location,” Leep said. “A lot of what we’re doing here has been done to save people time, simplify the process, and to make buying or servicing a vehicle not just an exchange but something with real value for our guests.”

The brands that will be present on campus are Audi, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Sprinter, Subaru, and Volkswagen. The Gurley Leep Used Car Center will also be on campus.

In addition to the new campus reaffirming Gurley Leep’s commitment to customer convenience, it’s also a significant investment into the City of Mishawaka and the surrounding area. A development of this size sets a tone for the entire business community to follow, with this development predicted to create over 750 new jobs in St. Joseph County.

“We’re really excited to celebrate this,” South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Rea said. “This will go down as one of the largest investments in our community. Gurley Leep has been super supportive of our community, and there’s no company in the area that does the good work like Gurley Leep does. There are some great things happening in and around this quarter, and much like they’ve been the catalyst before, they’ll be the catalyst again.”

Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood shared similar sentiments about what this facility will mean for Michiana.

“You look now and you see a vast amount of property that will be developed into a great dealership with incredible amenities, but it’s also a day to celebrate a great partnership that goes back almost 50 years,” Wood said. “When we were developing the ‘Golden Corridor’ – Grape Road – the major development that happened was Gurley Leep. They were the ones who invested and made that happen in a big way. Now, as their business has changed and our city has grown and grown, we’re looking at the next major corridor. This campus will make growth happen in a major way.”

As shovels meet dirt and the first steps towards this new community hub commence, Leep is already looking towards Gurley Leep’s future and the continued impact it can make with the support of its customers and community.

“We’re grateful for the literally hundreds of thousands of people who have supported Gurley Leep,” Leep said. “We would not be here without the support of our community and the thousands of team members who have worked for our company over the last 50 years. We’re excited to be here for another 50, or even another 100, Lord willing.”

Gurley Leep operates dealerships and service centers throughout Northern Indiana. To learn more or to discover your next vehicle, visit gurleyleep.com.