 The company was founded in 1863 as the Haarlem Savings Bank by a group of local merchants as a community-based mutual savings bank.Harlem at the time was a suburban village - it was not part of New York City until 1873 - and the bank's first location on 3rd Avenue between 125th and 126th Streets was surrounded by farms and undeveloped lots.In 1869, the bank moved to a building of its own construction on 3rd Avenue and 124th Street.