Auto Center downshifts plans

The nascent auto row on South Virginia Street was to include the Crystal Cathedral of car lots: a quartet of glass-sided temples to house Acura, Infiniti, Ferrari and Lotus automobiles plus cafe, lounge and that other temple of consumption: Starbucks.

But despite Reno Auto Center's initial announcement nearly two years ago, the property boasts only a dusty dirt lot holding a tiny old house long past ready for razing. And luxury auto manufacturers have yet to sign on with the center.

Reality threw a spanner in the works, says Mike Koppelman, managing partner of RAC LLC.

The delay, he says, began when the company ran up against city requirements that wanted the dealership to build a turning lane and curbs on both sides of adjoining Holcomb Lane. Improving the quarter-mile stretch of road carried a price tag of $1.4 million.

But a competitor came to the rescue.

A Mazda Kia dealership plans to build directly to the north, also adjoining Holcomb, and will pay half the cost. Both companies will engage in the road work together, says Koppelman, to avoid redundant construction.

Now construction on the $8 million project is slated to begin in October, with completion in February.

And the revised plans indicate not four, but three buildings on four acres. The company has only a verbal agreement with Infiniti in place, says Koppelman.

He and partner Jamie Kopf, owner of multi-name dealerships in California, are still in talks with other luxury manufacturers such as Lotus, Ferrari, Jaguar and Maseratti.

Also new to the project is architect Blakely, Johnson Ghusn and civil engineer Wood Rogers.

But the developers, who have been selling cars off the dusty, undeveloped lot from the start, don't plan on any downtime in future, either.

"We'll be the first ones selling cars on site during construction," says Koppelman. Signs and advertising will alert the passing public to the dealership that will continue to operate behind the construction site, out of sight from Virginia Street.