LOS ANGELES -

Dealership group LAcarGUY, in conjunction with Audi of America, revealed it has broken ground on a new Audi terminal in its Torrance, Calif., dealership.

The South Bay rooftop will expand capacity from its current nearby location of 14,000 square feet, becoming one of the largest Audi Terminal showrooms in the U.S. at 45,000 sq. ft., officials noted.

“The expansion not only invests in the community as a business partner, but also as a community partner, with plans to be built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards,” officials continued.

LAcarGUY owner Mike Sullivan commented on the expansion, noting, "We’re so excited to be building this. Everything we’re doing [here] is designed around sustainability and making it a very friendly place to be.

“What we are doing on this property just mirrors where the franchise is going, where the brand is going, and where we are going. It’s just a great marriage and we’re proud to be part of it,” he continued.

Delving into the specifics, the terminal will be located on a 3-acre parcel at the intersection of Hawthorne Boulevard and Spencer Street. 

“The new space is being designed to better serve customers with expanded capacity and convenience within a compelling environment,” officials stressed.

And the structure will feature an open two-story 17-car showroom.

“The progressive nature of the Sullivan organization is a driving force behind the facility being built to meet LEED standards,” officials went on to note.

The building will tout LED lighting, high-efficiency heating and air components; "smog eating"-finished ACM panels; and atypical landscaping for a dealership, the company explained.

And blog posts at pacificaudi.com/leeddealership will soon begin to share the building’s progress until the scheduled November 2012 opening.

Highlighting the history of the business, Sullivan has owned this Audi franchise since 1999 and built one of the first Audi Hanger-style dealerships in the state.

"Our little family of dealerships is continuing to grow and we’re excited… We’re trying to stay ahead of the curve with this beautiful new LEED certified building here in Torrance, so we’re really pleased,” Sullivan concluded.

The project’s building team includes Sauers Lopez Construction, specializing in the design and construction of auto dealerships, and architecture firm Whitfield Associates Inc.