plus 3, Precision Automotive receives award - Press & Sun-Bulletin

Precision Automotive receives award - Press & Sun-Bulletin
Former local car dealerships are reborn as stores, ministries - State Journal-Register
Automotive Equipment - Chicago Tribune
County buys Griner property - Valdosta Daily Times

Precision Automotive receives award - Press & Sun-Bulletin

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 03:12 PM PST

ENDICOTT Precision Automotive Service received the 2009 AAA Top Shop Award. The business was ranked among the highest in a review of auto repair facilities participating in the AAA Approved Auto Repair Program in the Southern Tier.

Precision Automotive also received the Elder Friendly Certification from Broome County Action for Older Persons. This program uses secret shoppers, age 60 or older, who evaluate businesses on rigorous standards of accessibility, customer service and layout.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Former local car dealerships are reborn as stores, ministries - State Journal-Register

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 09:45 PM PST

Former car dealerships and service centers in Springfield are now home to a church, baseball and softball facility, strip mall, and a home and automotive electronic store, among other sites.

Car dealerships are being sold and remodeled for a variety of uses across the country as auto sellers close their doors for good or search for new addresses.

"You can usually find a reasonable price, and it's less expensive than building new," said Sam Nichols about buying and remodeling former car dealerships. Nichols, president of NAI True, a commercial real estate company in Springfield, speaks from experience.

Several years ago, Nichols bought the former HPR used-car sales building and car lot on West Wabash Avenue. He enlarged and remodeled the building, transforming it into Yellowstone Shopping Mall.

Nichols was the broker for the sale of a former HPR automotive center that is now the west campus of South Side Christian Church. He also handled the sale of a former HPR new-car sales room and lot that is now the home of Sundown One, a home and automotive electronics store.

South Side Christian Pastor Jeff Chitwood said the former auto center's large, open interior, natural light, and ample space attracted the church's interest as it considered expansion options.

Sundown One "totally gutted and remodeled" the former new-car dealership, said general manager Jack Wheaton.

While natural light from large windows may be pluses for many businesses and churches, Sundown "closed out windows" to allow for audio and recording rooms, Wheaton said.

The store had some concern that the West Wabash address was "too far west," he said, but continued growth on the west side of Springfield helped more than anticipated.

"Sales have quadrupled," Wheaton said, adding that Sundown One rents storage space from South Side Christian on its west campus.

A facility that formerly housed Landmark Ford on South Dirksen Parkway is now home to The Hitting Center and the Hope Thrift Store, ministries of Calvary Temple Christian Center.

"It worked out very well for us," said Dan Shryock, director of worship arts for Calvary. "The Hitting Center needed a lot of open space inside. It is at the back of the building, and Hope Thrift Center is at the front."

Churches using existing buildings isn't new. But such moves picked up steam in recent years, as stores such as Wal-Mart moved out of older buildings and car dealerships closed, according to Michigan-based lawyer Dan Dalton, whose clients include Carlinville Southern Baptist Church, which now operates from a closed Wal-Mart.

Big-box stores and former car dealerships, which typically include commercial and warehouse space, offer churches plenty of space and large parking lots, Dalton said.

Debra Landis can be reached through the Metro Desk at 788-1517.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Automotive Equipment - Chicago Tribune

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 03:29 PM PST

Recipient E-mail Addresses

(up to 3, separated by commas) Send me a copy.

From:

Name:

E-mail:

Comments: </p> <input type="hidden" name="galleryslug" value="chi-pod-pix"/><input type="hidden" name="_fields" value="toaddress"/><input type="hidden" name="_fields" value="fromname"/><input type="hidden" name="_fields" value="fromaddress"/><input type="hidden" name="_fields" value="comments"/></div></div><p><em><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org">Five Filters</a> featured article: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://medialens.org/alerts/09/091216_chilcot_inquiry_the.php">Chilcot Inquiry</a>. Available tools: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/pdf-newspaper/">PDF Newspaper</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/">Full Text RSS</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/term-extraction/">Term Extraction</a>.</em></p><br><br><img src="http://thm-a01.yimg.com/image/308f0c47acb73892" alt="image">

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

County buys Griner property - Valdosta Daily Times

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 09:17 PM PST

Published January 03, 2010 12:11 am -

County buys Griner property

By Malynda Fulton

VALDOSTA — After several months of due diligence, Lowndes County's purchase of the Griner Automotive property is now final.

Lowndes County Commission Chairman Ashley Paulk said the county closed on the sale of the property Thursday.

The site, which is a little more than three acres, was sold to Lowndes County for $1.2 million, according to the real estate purchase and sale agreement. Located at 505 N. Ashley St., the site connects to the north side of the new Judicial Complex and administrative offices that are under construction.

Paulk said that the county's next step will be to take bids for demolition to clear the property.

"Then, we will look at the possibility of construction for public and private businesses to bring tax

revenue in for the city and county, as well as a possible parking deck," Paulk

said. "We are still in the very early stages of planning though. We plan to include the Industrial Authority in our plans in an attempt to bring business to downtown Valdosta."

Whatever the final plans may be, Paulk asserted that the property will be used to benefit Valdosta and Lowndes County.

In July, the county had a conceptual design prepared, which includes a six-story professional building to house businesses, a parking deck and plenty of green space.

Paulk previously told The Times other entities have already voiced their interests in purchasing part of the property and they will help pay for the parking deck.

"We will have something that will regenerate downtown Valdosta and benefit the tax rolls," he said.

According to a previous Times article, the county did not borrow money or use SPLOST funds, but used funds earmarked for construction to purchase the land.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.