The Redmond Company was awarded the exciting challenge to design and construction the additions and renovations to the Cedar Rapids Toyota dealership. This unique project involved converting the existing building (formerly a Volkswagen dealership) into a cohesive, functional and state-of-the-art Toyota facility. The goal was to increase the showroom and service areas and improve the overall functionality of the space while meeting Toyota’s facility standards. The project included 30,000 square feet of renovations to all existing showrooms and customer areas, and a 20,000 square foot addition.

Redmond’s architectural team determined that several small additions to different parts of the building created a better flow for the facility and was more cost effective than one large remodel. The existing curved structure was modified spatially and aesthetically to give the building the look of a familiar Toyota facility, including the iconic 30’ tall white entry portal. An additional challenge on the project was that the roof of the existing VW facility was lower than what is required for a typical Toyota dealership. Redmond’s team suggested and submitted a variance request to Toyota to utilize a drop cloud system for the showrooms and customer lounge areas. This request was approved by Toyota, resulting in a unique design that maximizes the existing floor-to-ceiling space.

The owner of this project was especially passionate about providing a memorable experience for his customers and requested the inclusion of many “creature comfort” features to make each visit exceptional. The owner went above and beyond the required Toyota specifications to enhance the customer experience by adding multiple luxurious customer lounges with fireplaces and wood ceilings, as well as elegant customer restrooms. A large service drive-up area was added to increase service capabilities and decrease customer traffic congestion, ultimately improving the Cedar Rapids Toyota customer experience.