Coastline Mazda has grown up and moved out.
The dealership, owned by Steve Marshall Motors, left its Willow Point home last month for greener pastures.
Mazda re-located to a bigger and better lot in the north end of town after it outgrew its facility across from Frank James Park.
“It’s an old, tired and very crowded facility,” Tom Dishlevoy, architect of the new Mazda building, told city council at a meeting last October.
Fast forward nine months and Mazda is thriving at its new Island Highway location between Park and Woodburn roads.
“We’re seeing a lot more customers coming in. It’s a lot busier,” said Karl Ebdrup, manager of Coastline Mazda. “I think we’re in a better location now and having a shiny, new building helps.”
The facility boasts a beach theme in a nod to its Coastline name. Landscaping includes dune grass, driftwood, silver burweed and river rock. The building is designed with aluminum paneling and grass to provide a varied facade.
“It’s set on a slope slightly raised from the highway and we thought ‘why not create a replica beach, so when drivers are going down the highway they can look up and see the noses of all the cars peeking through beach grasses,’” Dishlevoy said.
The new building is also much larger, with most of the space designated to vehicle parking.
The property is 2.2 acres, while the Willow Point lot – which was leased to Mazda – was just under one acre. The building is 512.9 metres squared in total floor area and 4.5 metres high.
“We’ve been able to quadruple our inventory because we have a lot more space,” Ebdrup said. “Things are going very well.”
The dealership opened its new store about two weeks ago and a grand opening is set for July 21.
Mazda secured a building permit for its new facility in mid-October of last year. City staff felt the new building would enhance the northern end of the city.