Arguably one of the most sought-after commercial sites in Alexandra, GWD Toyota’s new showroom and workshop is a welcome sight in the town, and a positive sign for the local economy.
Built by Breen Construction’s commercial team, and with ongoing delays due to New Zealand’s first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, the initial six-weeks lost was quickly made up for as the project progressed.
Project manager Phil Cheney said they had to formulate a plan for people to be able to work safely onsite and with social distancing, once work started again at Level 3. “Then Level 2 ramped up the work significantly and we found smarter ways of working,” he said.
However, like any large-scale commercial project, there were a number of design changes along the way, such as the addition of an exterior car wash, and a lot of time went into the aesthetics of both the workshop and showroom.
“They wanted the showroom to look pristine at all times,” Phil said.
Breen went above and beyond with this project by also designing and constructing the workshop roof panels, which are insulated to keep the area warm in winter and cool during summer.
Phil said the installation of this roofing system is normally undertaken by a specialist installer, “but we felt that Breen had the skill to do the work, with some training and the right equipment.”
Organising a representative from Kingspan in Auckland to hold a training session onsite, Phil, Rick Steele and Simon Philip then worked out the right methodology to use, which took considerable time, he said.
“We modified our existing roof sheet crane-mounted carrier to accommodate the thicker Kingspan panels, and adjusted the seating angle so that the sheets landed flat on the roof substrate to avoiddamage.”
Phil said the job went smoothly from the outset withthe help of R&R Hiab Services, and was completed well ahead of programme,“and of a quality that exceeded even our own expectations - a job well plannedand executed by the Breen team.”
Other specialist services in the workshopincluded oil and air pressure delivery systems, and McLellan’s Plumbing andHeating organised all of the complex drainage works, as well as theinternal heating and ducting system.
A special ventilation system was also added to theshowroom to extract fumes from the vehicles when their engines were running.
Design Base co-owner Tony Williamson said it was a great team effort between builders, the designer and the project manager todeliver the client a stunning building.
“It is great for our town to have a business show confidence in Alexandra, and with an investment like this right on our main road.”
Opening on June 18, 2021, the GWD Group has been serving Central Otago motorists since 1989, and has also had a presence inSouthland since 1906, with its showrooms in Queenstown, Gore and Invercargill.
CEO Glen Rutherford said the new GWD Toyota showroom in Alexandra was designed with the customer in mind.
The fresh, modern showroom is light and spacious for a comfortable and relaxed shopping experience, whilst the seven-bayworkshop has all the latest equipment and has been future-proofed with room to expand.
BEV and PHEV vehicles have also been catered for with an on-site EV charging station. The canopied Service Drop-Off Zone, generous customer parking, and customer lounge facilities all complement each other to make the service experience enjoyable from drop off to pick up.
Glen said the customer experience was at the forefront of the entire process, from the initial design of the new store right through to the approach taken during the build.
“We wanted to build a destination for our clients and the community, showing GWD’s and Toyota’s commitment to the brand in Central Otago.
“The new store is a striking modern building that is easy for our customers to use whether they’re shopping for a vehicle or bringing their car in to the workshop. We also managed to continue servicing the community while the build was taking place.”
By locating the new store just across the road from its previous premises, GWD Toyota – Alexandra minimised service disruption and has maintained a familiar presence on Centennial Avenue.
PROJECT MANAGER: Phil Cheney
SITE MANAGER: Rick Steele
SITE FOREMAN: Simon Philip
DESIGNER: Design Base Architecture(Alexandra)
STRUCTURAL AND CIVIL ENGINEER: Meyer Cruden
BUILDERS: Johnny Naylor, Andrew Dodds, Pete Craddock, Dick Brown, Jim Meehan, Brett Mcewan.
WRITTEN BY: Aimee Wilson - Miss Wordsmith
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