Lauterbach Buick GMC: Moving on out, to the east side

Almost a year has passed since Lauterbach Buick GMC purchased the former car dealership on First Avenue East. Now, demolition work is underway and within a couple of weeks a new showroom will be built, bringing a fresh, new look to the building.

“General Motors has kind of precipitated this with their image program. They want all of the dealerships to look standardized,” owner Jason Lauterbach said.

The former Axtell Ford building has been empty for a number of years.

“The building was in poor shape but we really felt like we needed more space,” Lauterbach said. “It came down to renovating that building and helping make that end of town look nice.”

The Lauterbach dealership purchased the building along with the seven acres it sits on, giving ample room for any future growth. It was not the first time Lauterbach looked at expanding the business, though.

“About three years ago we had plans at our current location and had an addition planned for the side of the building but we ran out of space on our lot. We are kind of land locked here with about an acre and a half and decided not to do it,” Lauterbach said.

Work has already started at the new location with the former showroom demolished and removed last weekend.

“The new structure for the front gets delivered March 11, so in the next month you will see a lot of progress out there,” Lauterbach said.

A large renovation is planned for the remainder of the existing building which will hold the service department and body shop. The new location will feature an improved service entrance that will allow customers to park their vehicles inside to get serviced.

“The latest plans are to renovate an outbuilding located to west. We’re going to take down some walls and make the inside a little bit bigger and make it a full detail department and maybe do some retail,” Lauterbach said.

With such extensive renovations taking place, Lauterbach does not expect the dealership to be completely moved until October. Currently, there aren’t firm plans for the dealership’s current location, but Lauterbach said there has been interested in the building from possible buyers.

For now, Lauterbach is working to get the new building complete while maintaining the successful business that was founded more than three decades ago.

“We’ve been here for 36 years and Newton has treated us well. We feel like if we can give back and make a nice facility out there and be here for at least another 30 years we will be good,” Lauterbach said.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com