Jewett Automotive and Margaretten Architectural create green auto dealership for Grappone

Two of New Hampshire's best known family owned and operated businesses are partnering with Margaretten Architectural to create the first "green" automotive dealership in New England. Raymond-based Jewett Automotive Design & Construction is working with the Grappone Automotive Group on a complete renovation of its 77,000 s/f Toyota dealership and service facility. Once completed, the new building, designed by Jeff Margaretten of Margaretten Architectural, is expected to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council—becoming the first such dealership in New England. The extensive project, Jewett's 40th automotive dealership job, incorporates the "Integral Design Approach" which encourages architect, engineer, client and contractor interaction from the very beginning to create a more profitable project with shortened timelines. The renovation also requires a good deal of design creativity, as the minimal expansion allowed by local building codes necessitates working within the existing footprint. Slated for completion in December of this year, the job includes demolition of a small part of the existing facility and construction of a new service department with 50% increased-capacity, charging stations for electric vehicles, and expanded customer lounge with Wi-Fi and improved customer parking. The facility will also feature a new drive-through service check-in, two-story showroom, new corporate offices and a state of the art training facility. The project will be done in phases and the dealership will remain open throughout construction. Progress updates will be posted on both Jewett's and Grappone Automotive's Facebook pages throughout. "As a member of the fourth generation, I couldn't be more thrilled about this project," Greg Grappone said. "Upgrading our facilities will give our customers an unparalleled sales and service experience." The Jewett team is no stranger to Green Building Council standards, having recently completed several LEED Certified projects. "The incorporation of green building strategies into the Grappone project provides not only energy savings and a low impact to the environment, but a very comfortable and productive environment for the people who work there," said Rob Secinaro, Jewett's LEED-certified project manager. "It's a win-win; our client gets an energy efficient building and the employees get a great building to work in. This is one of the most gratifying aspects of the project for me." Amanda Grappone Osmer said, "Our customers will have access to an indoor service facility, expanded showroom space and better parking. Our staff will have brighter, cleaner and better-organized workspaces. And the community will have the ability to tour a LEED-certified building and make use of our new conference space." Once complete, the new facility is expected to reduce water usage by 20% and increase energy efficiency by 20%. The Grappone-Margaretten-Jewett team will incorporate such "green" energy saving technologies as a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system, larger windows for harvesting daylight and enhancing views of the Merrimack River, increased insulation, energy-saving lighting and plumbing fixtures, and the use of components made of recycled materials. Upwards of 90% of construction debris will be recycled or reused in the new facility. "We hope our commitment to LEED certification will inspire other businesses to build in as environmentally friendly a way as possible," Grappone said. Jewett Automotive Design & Construction president Craig Jewett said, "We're proud to partner with the Grappone Automotive Group and Margaretten Architectural on this ground-breaking facility—one that integrates good corporate planning with environmental and social responsibility. It's a very fitting way to celebrate our 40th dealership project."