Booming Business Fuels Mercedes-Benz of Pleasanton Expansion

By Nicole Zaro Stahl, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

New 112,000 Square Foot Facility to Replace Two Existing Buildings, Doubling Size of Dealership

Uwe Waizenegger is about to see a long-held dream materialize. At the beginning of August, the owner of Mercedes-Benz of Pleasanton presided over the groundbreaking for a new 112,000 square foot facility that will replace his current two buildings at 5871 and 5885 Owens Drive.

The auto dealership has been in the same location for 25 years. In fact, it was the first building to go up on Owens Drive when Hacienda was in its infancy. In 2004, the growing business spilled over into a second facility, housing the used car operation and an extension of the service department. The two buildings were separated by a restaurant at 5877 Owens Drive.

The idea of linking all three properties to make one streamlined operation has been on Waizenegger's radar since 2005.

"About six months ago I found out that the restaurant next door had come up for sale," he relates. "I was able to acquire the property. Now we have a total of 6.3 acres, which will allow us to build a new facility and have everything under one roof."

From an operations point of view, it will be much easier and more cost-effective to have all functions together. The co-location eliminates duplication of overhead and service personnel. "The main reason for the building is that we have outgrown our present facilities. We will double the size of our operation with this new facility," Waizenegger says.

An expansion of this magnitude signals that the business is enjoying considerable success, an assessment Waizenegger confirms. "We represent one of the top brands in the world, and the Bay Area is a very strong market. Mercedes-Benz nationwide is doing extremely well, and so are we. We have surpassed the growth rate of the national brand."

Slated for completion in June 2013, the new facility conforms to the corporate Autohaus concept, which standardizes the sleek, upscale look of Mercedes-Benz dealerships worldwide. The new showroom will have enough space to display 15 cars and accommodate a staff of 16 sales professionals. Numerous amenities include computer workstations for customers, a rental car agency, and a boutique carrying a full array of Mercedes-Benz branded products. The new service department will boast 50 stalls, twice the current capacity.

Construction, which includes demolition of all three buildings currently standing. will move ahead in four phases. The progression has been meticulously designed to ensure the customer experience remains the same throughout the nine months of the project. "It will be a challenge, but we have a plan to handle it," Waizenegger comments. Inventory will be stored at a few rental lots around Pleasanton.

The expansion also coincides with Mercedes-Benz's plans to substantially ramp up automobile production. There are currently 22 models on the market, from the C-class all the way up to the limited production SLS sports coupe. The automaker has several new models soon to debut, including a fuel-cell powered car in a few years, Waizenegger notes.

Renderings of the new look are currently on display in the showroom. For more information, visit www.mbofpleasanton.com.

Photo: Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz of Pleasanton

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