What happens when you take a neglected building dating back to the early 1900s and turn it into a posh, state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz dealership? Well, Dick Corporation found out when serving as construction manager for the new Rahal Mercedes-Benz of Pittsburgh in the city’s  | | Pictured above is the historic Packard building which was recently converted into a Mercedes-Benz dealership. |
Shadyside section.
Though solidly built, this five-story vacant concrete frame structure, which originally housed a Packard dealership, was in need of major renovation and rehabilitation. In June 2005, Dick Corporation began receiving bids to renovate the building into a 110,000-square-foot Mercedes-Benz dealership for the Bobby Rahal Automotive Group. This is the third project that Dick Corporation has completed for this owner, but the first one as construction manager. The project was atypical in that there was no general contractor involved. Dick Corporation wrote all of the contracts, developed and managed the overall schedule, and was responsible for the coordination of the work of 18 prime contractors and numerous suppliers. General provisions were handled directly by the owner with a small crew of laborers managed by Dick Corporation and enhanced by carpenters and other craftsman as necessary for safety, demolition, and miscellaneous general contractor-type tasks.
Renovation began in earnest in September 2005 with the interior of the building, which contains indoor auto storage for 90 cars, a showroom, sales offices, storage, administrative offices, a car wash, indoor parking, and two floors of auto service area with 16 car lifts built to Mercedes-Benz standards. Extensive use of porcelain tile in the showroom and ceramic tile in the service entrance drive enhances the atmosphere for the discriminating car buyer. The old concrete floors were ground down, polished, and topped with a patented retro-plate sealer hardener that rejuvenated the floor surfaces. The generous use of curtain wall, complimented by alucobond (an aluminum composite material) and granite, gives the exterior a unique distinction. In addition, an actual Indy-style open wheel racecar, once driven by Bobby Rahal and powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine, hangs from the ceiling of the showroom as a tribute to Team Rahal Racing.
Customer parking, utility replacement, and reconstruction of the bordering Enfield Street were the main focus of the outside work, which proved to be most challenging to Dick Corporation on this project. The north, south, and east sides of the building are surrounded by city streets. (Access to the west side of the building was through the building.) Hauling stone, equipment, and construction materials through the building for work on the west side had to be carefully planned and executed to avoid schedule impacts and damage to completed work. Minimal laydown was available outside the building; therefore, material storage was kept inside. "Renovating a building that is over 100 years old required a lot of adjustments during construction,” said Eric Hessinger, President of Pittsburgh Operations - Bobby Rahal Automotive Group. “Dick Corporation provided the expertise that allowed us to adapt to the challenges the building presented on a daily basis while maintaining overall standards that we expected for our Mercedes-Benz dealership."
Prior to the completion of the dealership in August 2006, Mercedes-Benz sales and service were only available on the outskirts of the city of Pittsburgh. With this new urban location, city residents and Mercedes-Benz owners who work in the area will find it is more convenient to visit here. The dealership opened for business in August to the delight of its owner and proud construction manager.
Project: Mercedes-Benz of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Owner: Bobby Rahal Automotive Group
Architect/Engineer: Dean E. Hess, AIA
Project Value: $8.2 million
Completed: August 2006
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