Seventy-five years ago, Frank Porter Jr.’s grandfather, George Lyon, opened Central Chevrolet one day before the stock market crashed in 1929. In the early 1940s, the dealership became a Cadillac distributor, and in 1949, it moved to a modern building on Carnegie Avenue. In 2001, it became Northeast Ohio’s exclusive Hummer dealer, and the dealership changed its name.
Central Cadillac-Hummer recently underwent a $4.5-million renovation and expansion. The dealership was last renovated in 1970, and Porter, president and third-generation owner, says it was time for a new look.
“We had reached that point again in our history where the building looked good — we spent a lot of time maintaining it — and it felt good, but it was starting to be a little dated,” he says.
Porter had just signed papers with Cadillac to redesign the facility in the late ’90s when the parent company reinvented its image.
“If you don’t change with times and with your customers, you’re speeding backwards,” Porter says. ” … We’re trending to younger buyers (who are different) than our traditional buyer. They are more demanding and have busier schedules, and we have to adapt to their needs if we’re going to grow and expand.”
Central Cadillac-Hummer is the first dealership in Northern Ohio and the 20th in the country to embrace Cadillac’s new design. The project is being financed by several sources: Cadillac is paying for a portion, General Motors gave Porter a seven-year interest-free loan and Porter’s landlord — The Cleveland Foundation — is paying for part of the project.
“My father’s estate, about 95 percent of it, was given to The Cleveland Foundation, and that included the building and the property that Central Cadillac sits in,” he says.
Osborn Architects-Engineers performed initial engineering work, and Nashville-based Infrastructure designed a package that included the Cadillac concept, furniture, finishes, floors, wall coverings and ceilings. City Architecture converted the concept to meet city codes, designed the drawings and worked with Marous Brothers Construction to create an efficient design.
“(The renovated dealership is) very contemporary in its design. … It says, ‘Cadillac’s doing business differently. Cadillac is re-energized.’ … The limestone exterior, special window treatment, butt-glazed windows, unique tile floor – these are things you won’t see in another automobile dealership,” Porter says.
Porter worked closely with his Continuous Improvement Team (CIT Team) to discuss important facility changes.
“Typically in an automobile dealership … everyone came to the dealer and said, ‘How do we fix this problem?’ That isn’t the most effective way of solving problems,” he says. “The dealer often is the guy in the organization who is furthest away from the problem and probably isn’t going to come up with the best ideas.”
His CIT Team took on problems, came up with ideas, presented them to managers and brainstormed a game plan.
“The employees come up with some great ideas,” Porter says. “We have around 100 employees, and if we can release the talents of 100 employees, it’s a whole lot more effective than one person.”
The redesign moved the sales offices to the first floor — closer to customers — and the general office to the second floor. A customer waiting area was added, with a boutique that sells Cadillac and Hummer merchandise. Porter and his team also switched locations of the dealership’s used car lot on Prospect and employee parking on Carnegie because the Carnegie lot features higher visibility.
Although the project tore his father and grandfather’s original building down to the steel joists, which “would have sent them right over the edge,” Porter thinks they would be “overjoyed with what it looks like today.”
“As you walk in, you just have a totally different feel,” he says. “It’s an experience.” How to reach: Central Cadillac-Hummer, (216) 861-5800 or www.centralcadillac.com or www.centralhummer.com
Best laid plans
Frank Porter Jr. has gained new insight on the real estate industry since his dealership began its $4.5 million renovation eight months ago. Days before Central Cadillac-Hummer’s May grand reopening, Porter shared tips for planning a successful remodel.
* Factor extra expenses into the budget. Porter says the dealership’s renovation and expansion project was expected to cost $3 million but unforeseen technical problems arose because …
* Even well-built and well-maintained older buildings may not accommodate new technology. Porter didn’t expect to abandon his building’s plumbing system until contractors began cutting into the pipes.
“It looked like someone’s arteries, lying on the table at the Cleveland Clinic having heart surgery,” he says. “It was an old cast-iron pipe, and it was about two-thirds blocked.” The dealership’s water distribution lines were replaced with new copper pipes, and aging electrical systems were exchanged with new breaker boxes and service.
* Brainstorming sessions with employees and architects can lead to better facility plans. Originally, Central Cadillac-Hummer’s service advisers wrote up customer orders at podiums on the service drive, where it was noisy from nearby repair work, hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The remodeled dealership includes five new offices for service advisers, where customers can sit in a comfortable environment to discuss their needs.
* Consider the customer. Porter says his dealership is centrally-located, and most of his customers pass another Cadillac dealer to do business with him.
“We’ve got to continue to improve the customer experience,” he says. “We have to be on the cutting edge to continue to attract our existing customers and new Cadillac owners.”
