From the Ground Up: Youngblood Auto Group

Owner/developer: Youngblood Auto Group
General contractor: BP Builders LLC
Architect: Contained LLC
Engineers: Toth and Associates Inc., civil; J&M Engineering LLC, structural; and Conway Duncan Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing
Size: 34,600 square feet
Estimated cost: $5 million
Lender: Springfield First Community Bank
Estimated completion: July
Project description: A year after entering Ozark, Youngblood Auto Group is expanding its dealership with a stand-alone showroom for Jeep vehicles and a refresh for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Crews from BP Builders broke ground Nov. 15. Adam Pyle, CEO of the construction company, said the largest portion is the shop, service area and car wash, at 19,000 square feet. The showroom and staff offices comprise 10,000 square feet, and he said there’s also a 5,600-square-foot parts center. With the moves, Youngblood Auto Group Managing Partner John Widiger said the current building in Ozark, a former Dodge dealership, will serve as a used car operation, with new cars sold at the expansion site. He expects to double the workforce to around 70 employees. In Springfield, Youngblood Auto also operates Kia and Nissan dealerships, as well as a used car lot near the intersection of Walnut Lawn and Campbell Avenue.