Flushing, NY
Architect: Penney Design Group
Eastman Cooke recently completed construction on a four-story, 66,000 sq. ft. out-of-the-ground Audi car dealership. This state-of-the-art facility is one of the largest Audi dealerships in the Northeast and includes a third-floor showroom with 18-foot-high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling clearstory glass, specialty soffits, and a dynamic “feature” wall running the full width of the building leading up to a full width balcony on the fourth floor. All of this high-end quality workmanship is back-dropped with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. The project also included a certified pre-owned sales floor, an 18-bay service area, three-lane vehicle drop-off entryway, retail and wholesale parts areas, spacious reception areas and floor-to-ceiling glass front offices throughout.
In the project development stage, Eastman Cooke assisted the owner with cost analysis, constructability and budgeting with the goal of “ironing out all details before the shovel hit the ground”. Expert value engineering by Eastman Cooke helped to ensure workable budgets for the owner. Additional pre-construction services included the testing of tension piles with civil engineers to value engineer and develop an appropriate design criteria to sustain the building. Eastman Cooke remained engaged in design development from inception to completion of construction plans, meeting regularly with architects and engineers to review ideas, specifications and drawings.
The entire building was finished with exceptional attention to detail. An open riser main staircase with glass railings extends from the first floor reception to the third floor showroom. The “feature” wall in the showroom was designed to replicate an asphalt roadway, while custom light fixtures act as lane striping. The corner of the showroom houses a seating area known as the “pocket curve”: a radius eight-foot ceiling that expands outward on a smooth curvature extending to the 18-foot ceiling. The feature wall and pocket curve were carefully constructed to align with counters, flooring and the surrounding walls.
Externally, Audi’s signature metal panel honeycomb screen system and large glass clearstory make up the pile-supported structure. Eastman Cooke worked closely with Audi’s architects to review the job and ensure that everything aligned with Audi’s design standards.
Meticulous collaboration between multiple trades resulted in seamless mechanical, plumbing, electrical and sprinkler installations as well as unobstructed installation of the owner-supplied and installed car lifts, parts elevators and shop equipment.
Our great success of the Audi project from inception to turn over has given the owner the confidence that he has chosen the right company to oversee his major construction projects and he has agreed to contract additional work with our firm; Eastman Cooke is scheduled to break ground on a new ground-up car dealership in Brooklyn this summer.
