After nearly 50 years of business on South Glenstone Avenue in its distinctly 1960s-era structure, Friendly Ford is getting a facelift.
The 47-year-old building will undergo more than $1 million in renovations and upgrades with design by Butler Rosenbury & Partners Inc. The architecture firm's President Geoffrey Butler said the south Springfield dealer, 3241 S Glenstone Ave., also will undergo a brand update under the Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) Trustmark Program, designed to bring all franchise dealers in line with Ford's overall aesthetic and branding.
Butler said the upgrade will not change the basic shape of the more than 90,000-square-foot building, but rather "give it a new skin."
"We are using a lot of metal panels, adding a quick lube lane and generally freshening it up a bit," he said. "The front apron around the building will be revamped and of course every inch is going to be painted. All the signage is changing, all the way down to the sign on the bathroom door."
With construction by general contractor Dock Brothers Construction Co. slated to begin next month, Butler said his company will handle structural engineering work and Smith-Goth Engineers Inc. has signed on for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work.
"When this building was constructed in 1967, it was a huge investment, they really went all out," Butler said. "We have done remodels for other dealerships in the area about every 10 years or so, but this building has stood the test of time.
"It has good bones, it just needs a facelift."
The project is slated to be complete in early 2015.[[In-content Ad]]
