Utah-based auto group Larry H. Miller Corp. says it's planning a multimillion-dollar upgrade to its Toyota, Lexus, and used-car dealerships downtown.
The automotive group has submitted preliminary plans for three projects to the city of Spokane's building department, although the plans haven't proceeded yet to the building-permit stage, says Todd Kleinman, general manager for Larry H. Miller Toyota Spokane.
The automotive group hopes to complete the projects this coming winter, Kleinman says. The projects will be put out to bid when the building permits are issued, he says.
The project at the Toyota dealership, at 1208 W. Third, is expected to include construction of a 1,200-square-foot, customer-delivery area addition and the remodel of much of a 16,400-square-foot main building there, including its showroom, reception area, offices, and a customer lounge, plans show.
The remodel also would include a new exterior facade as part the carmaker's ongoing Toyota Image USA II modernization program, Kleinman says.
Just farther east, on the other side of Third Avenue, the project at the Lexus dealership would include construction of a 3,100-square-foot addition on the west side of its showroom building, at 1105 W. Third. The addition would have office space and drive-in bays for customers to drop off vehicles for service, plans show.
The remodel would update the showroom building and a portion of a smaller building on the west portion of the lot, plans show. The Lexus project also would include a new facade to update the appearance of the building, Kleinman says.
Nearby, at the northeast corner of Third and Madison, Larry H. Miller used car sales and service center plans a minor remodel of 18,700-square-foot of floor space.
"That will include new paint and some sprucing up," Kleinman says. "It's nothing dramatic."
Larry H. Miller Corp. bought the Toyota and Lexus dealerships, along with the Honda dealership, at 1125 W. Second, in 2009. The dealerships formerly were owned by Downtown Automotive Dealerships, of Spokane.
Coombs LLC, which is headed by David Coombs, former president of Downtown Automotive Dealerships, owns the properties and leases them to the Larry H. Miller Corp.
Coombs LLC also recently bought the lot at 1201 W. Third, across Third Avenue from the Toyota dealership, and also leases that lot to Larry H. Miller Corp.