Opened in late-Fall 2019, the new Premier Subaru in Branford, Conn., has become a local landmark due to its curb appeal and unique design. The 33,000-square-foot dealership includes an eight-car showroom with a number of offices and cubicles for employees. Customers can relax in a 50-seat waiting area that is highlighted by a fireplace, several TVs and a live moss wall that extends into the showroom area. The 30-bay service area includes 18 drive-thru service lanes, three Express Service lifts and two computer alignment stations.
New dealership highlights new and vintage Subaru cars
Premier Subaru is the second major construction project Branford-based Pat Munger Construction Co. has completed for its owner, Bob Alvine and the Premier Auto Group. The state-of-the-art dealership is located in a highly visible spot along the local interstate.
While the building follows the design requirements and incorporates features put forth by Subaru of America, Stephen Mansfield, vice president of estimating and design at Munger Construction, says, “The colors selected, the high amount of storefront glass, the iconic tower, entrance canopy, ground-face masonry block curb wall, building height, high-speed overhead doors and 60-foot-high flagpole all contribute to the appeal of this building.” Kawneer Co. Inc., Norcross, Ga., supplied the storefront window wall system, and Rytec Corp., Jackson, Wis., provided the high-speed overhead doors.
The new dealership highlights Alvine’s passion for vintage Subaru vehicles by offering a unique opportunity to showcase his considerable collection. The Munger team worked with Varco Pruden Buildings, Memphis, Tenn., and the architect, John A. Matthews, Architecture and Planning, Madison, Conn., to include a mezzanine over the showroom where several of the classic cars are displayed. The building also features a taller entry vestibule than the national Subaru design standards, which allows an additional car to be showcased. “We constructed mezzanines over the sales offices in the showroom where the antique Subaru cars are displayed, including one over the main entrance that is visible from the street,” Mansfield adds. “The car collection shows the evolution of the Subaru brand of cars over the past 55-plus years.”
For the project, Munger Construction used a pre-engineered metal building system from VP Buildings. The VP building utilized multiple frame types, including clear span Rigid Frames and Continuous Beam Frames with interior columns. For the exterior walls, Varco Pruden supplied 3-inch-thick insulated metal panels from Lewisville, Texas-based Metl-Span. The service area has Cool Zinc Gray panels, while the showroom and service write-up area is Cool Silver Metallic. The roof is metal deck over purlins with a TPO fully adhered membrane roof. “Developing the pre-engineered framing system that was not only economical but met the design requirements was the biggest challenge,” Mansfield says. “The mechanical system was also more elaborate than what you would see in a typical automobile dealership.”
Additionally, the project features an interior radiant heat system located within the showroom and waiting area 15 feet in front of the large storefront windows, providing comfort in otherwise cold areas. The system also extends to the service write-up drive for comfort and to melt any falling snow from cars entering the room. “The most extensive portion of the snow melt is exterior and located within the sidewalks around the building and the aprons in front of the doors,” Mansfield explains. “This is a benefit to the owner as access to the building will never be blocked by snow thus taking away any liability concerns and reducing snow removal efforts. The boilers that supply the hot water for the snow melt system are primarily fueled by waste oil also reducing operating costs.”