GM dealer upgrades: Mountain View Chevrolet investing $2 million

photo Andy Watson, dealer-operator of Mountain View Chevrolet, talks Monday at the ground breaking ceremony for the dealership's new showroom. Mountain View Chevrolet is spending $2 million to build a new showroom and upgrade its service area. Staff Photo by Allison Carter/Chattanooga Times Free Press

Citing General Motors products such as the redesigned Camaro and new Cruze compact, Mountain View Chevrolet on Monday powered up a $2 million renovation of the Chattanooga dealership.

"We feel real good about where we're headed," said Andy Watson, dealer-operator at the East 20th Street location.

Watson said he plans to totally revamp and add space to the showroom and add to the service department to handle more large commercial trucks.

The dealership will remain open during the refurbishing, which should be finished by year's end, he said.

The work will meet GM's standards for its next-generation facilities, Watson said. The dealership will have charging stations for the Chevy Volt electric car, he said.

Kent Borough, a Chevrolet manager for its Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky zone, said the renovation will revitalize the Chattanooga dealership, which moved to the site about two years ago from Riverfront Parkway after Mountain View bought the Chevy franchise in 2007 from Newton Chevrolet.

Borough said the Malibu sedan and Equinox small sport utility vehicle particularly are being well received by buyers.

Watson said Chevy has eight vehicles that achieve in excess of 30 mpg.

"We're excited about Chevrolet and the business going forward," he said.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., said he hopes for a continued comeback of the American auto industry.

Fleischmann said while he applauds foreign automakers' presence in the U.S., he wants to see domestic car companies continue to grow.

Chattanooga City Councilman Manny Rico cited the investment by Mountain View Chevrolet on 20th Street along with construction of an earlier $6 million facility by Mountain View Nissan nearby.

"It makes my district look better," he said. "It has made a big difference."

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.

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