(left to right): Richard Ziegler, Architect, Richard Ziegler Architect Inc.; Sean Fox, Vice-President, Fieldgate Construction; Tim Reuss, President & CEO, Mercedes-Benz Canada; Thomas Hiscox, General Sales Manager, Mercedes-Benz Thornhill; Jens Israng, Vice- President, Toronto Retail Group; Neal Bodack, Vice-President, National Sales; Dominic Noronha, Service Manager, Mercedes-Benz Thornhill; James Ricchetti, Project Manager, Fieldgate Construction
Recently, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new, second generation Mercedes-Benz Thornhill retail facility. Mercedes-Benz Canada will erect a brand new corporately-owned flagship retail store, from the ground up, on the site of the old location at 228 Steeles West in Thornhill, Ont.
Demolition of the two former buildings on the 3.2-acre property was completed in November 2013, making way for a new state-of-the-art structure that will be approximatively 130,000 square feet once completed.
During the construction, sales operations have been temporarily relocated to 5840 Yonge Street in Toronto while service operations are being conducted from 82 Green Lane in Thornhill.
Scheduled to be fully operational in May 2015, the dealership will feature ample space over two floors, incorporating an extensive new and pre-owned vehicle showroom totaling 36,000 square feet. The new facility will also house a dedicated AMG Performance Centre and a smart Centre. An additional 43,000 square feet has been earmarked for the service area, and will include 32 state-of-the-art work bays, six detailing bays as well as a six vehicle drive-through, all of which are designed to significantly improve the overall customer service experience. Parking will also be expanded compared with the old facility.
Consistent with the design of other dealerships in Mercedes-Benz Canada’s nationwide retail network, the layout of the new facility will follow the Mercedes-Benz proprietary Auto Haus design concept, which promotes the widespread use of glass to maintain transparency and create a bright, open concept feeling.
The dealership will also integrate the new Mercedes-Benz retail corporate identity where black, coupled with accents of silver, reminiscent of the three-pointed star, will replace the blue colours traditionally seen in Mercedes-Benz stores.
Conscious of the importance of incorporating sustainable development practices into its operations, Mercedes-Benz Canada has ensured that the overall design of the building will incorporate measures to maximize energy efficiencies, help reduce the heat island effect and CFCs in its HVAC equipment.
“Over the course of the last 25 years, Mercedes-Benz Thornhill has generated some of the largest sales and service volumes in Canada year- over-year,” said Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. “Despite several renovations and expansions,” said Reuss, “the facility was no longer optimal. It’s never a good time to embark on such a massive and disruptive undertaking. We are grateful for our customers’ and employees’ patience and understanding during this elaborate reconstruction phase. It goes without saying that this new facility will further augment Mercedes-Benz Canada’s prominence in the Greater Toronto Area as well as provide an outstanding new platform for all of us to deliver the absolute best automotive experience for our valued customers.”
