Design Of Hummer Stores Cause Problems

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Here's what dealer Jim Lynch heard when he presented General Motors' blueprints for a new Hummer dealership to his city's planning and zoning commission: "There's no way you are building anything like that around here."

Lynch of Chesterfield, Mo., is among 45 Hummer dealers nationwide who are running into resistance to comply with GM's design requirements for exclusive stores.

GM's proposal features a building with a curved steel corrugated roof that mimics the style of World War II Quonset huts. The design includes a large steel "H" in the facade that doubles as the doorway.

A new store could cost between $1.5 million and $6 million, depending on real estate prices, square footage and construction costs.


The design of the Lynch Hummer store, above, does not include the large steel "H" in the facade that GM wants, below. Instead, the dealership name appears.

Many U.S. Hummer dealers are in upscale areas, and that rugged, industrial look often doesn't mesh with local zoning regulations. As a result, an estimated 30 percent of the brand's 167 dealers are in danger of not meeting GM's required March 31 completion date for new showrooms.

This comes at a time when Hummer sales are cooling off and the automaker has cut production. Sales of the H2 - on the market only two years - totaled 17,420 through August, down 21.4 percent from the year-ago total of 22,154.

Meeting GM's deadline has not been easy for Lynch. Satisfying local planning and zoning authorities, who demanded changes in the roof, facade and parking lot, delayed him nearly a year. The new store, Lynch says, will have a more conventional-looking roof and a red brick facade.

"We will be open in March, but it is going to be a real push," Lynch says.

Although he's satisfied with the compromise reached with the city, he is disappointed because the store won't have the tough in-your-face look that suits the Hummer brand.

"It's the right look for Hummer," Lynch says of the concept. "It's a strong, rugged look. I wanted to build the building they wanted."

Softer stance

In April GM said that dealers who don't have their new stores open by the 2005 deadline would see fewer or none of the upcoming H3, a lower-priced mid-sized SUV that is expected to be a volume seller.

The H3, based on the underpinnings of the Canyon/Colorado pickup, hits dealerships in late summer 2005 or fall 2005 as a 2006 model. A truck version of the H3 is due the following year.

But Hummer has softened its stance for dealers who are trying in good faith to build their stores, says Marc Hernandez, Hummer's director of dealer integration. "We will give a hall pass to dealers who have tried and can't comply in time," he says.

GM also is allowing plenty of flexibility on the outside design of the stores, but not on the inside of the store, which will be identical.

Fitzpatrick Hummer of Concord, Calif., dumped the Quonset hut look. Its store will feature a Mission-style look that blends with traditional Southwestern architecture. "GM has given us some latitude on the styling of the building," says Jan Yakubisin, Concord Hummer sales manager.

Hernandez says allowing dealers to veer from the original dealership concept accomplishes Hummer's goal of getting its stores built in the best locations.


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[GM_Guy81]

zoning laws in some areas border on fascist

[camaro chris]

i agree. i dont see what was wrong with his lot design

[jro4566]

The Hummer dealer in my city looks not a bit tough...then again, it's a Saab/Hummer dealer in an upscale neighborhood.

[FoMoCo Fan]

What I want to know is, what happens in 15 years or so, when it's not cool to own a Hummer anymore? What will they do with these stand alone dealerships then?

[ibechip]

Originally posted by laserwizard@Sep 6 2004, 06:30 PM
Awesome building design. I betcha those liberal areas of the country are the ones whining the most. Freedom. A foreign language to liberals.

Wow he actually managed to turn this into a political bash against liberals. You're as bad as my 90 year old grandma.

[jarsworldcom]

Man that sucks for Lynch. If they say they will sell a Hummer for 2 bucks they will owner it. I met a guy who came from Indiana to buy a Hummer from Lynch. It is to bad his main lot won't get an update anything soon.

[Sculptor]

Originally posted by FoMoCo Fan@Sep 6 2004, 08:03 PM
What I want to know is, what happens in 15 years or so, when it's not cool to own a Hummer anymore? What will they do with these stand alone dealerships then?

Hummer has been around way before it was "cool" to own one, and before most people even knew of the brand. Consider the Hummer the Lamborghini of off-roading, it's a specialty market and it will fulfill those needs.

[tgagneguam]

I'm sure it has nothing to do with zoning rules. Rather, I'm sure it has everything to do with the lack of/inadequacy of the bribe to the town officials on the city's planning and zoning commission.

Come on Lynch, surely you must know how these things work!

[2003_Malibu]

His lot design is great. From my opinion its a fantastique building and should be built!!!!!!!

[MafiaCowboy]

I don't live far from Chesterfield, MO (about 20 miles) and the new building is going to be really nice once it opens up. I drove by it during the week and I think it looks good in the area where its being built.

The problem with Chesterfield is that the city is so money hungry that they want more money to build the Hummer dealer by GM spec, and Lynch wants to stay close to their estimate.

I'll see if I can get by there and take pics of it sometime.

Mafia Cowboy

[jarsworldcom]

Originally posted by MafiaCowboy@Sep 6 2004, 11:42 PM
I don't live far from Chesterfield, MO (about 20 miles) and the new building is going to be really nice once it opens up. I drove by it during the week and I think it looks good in the area where its being built.

The problem with Chesterfield is that the city is so money hungry that they want more money to build the Hummer dealer by GM spec, and Lynch wants to stay close to their estimate.

I'll see if I can get by there and take pics of it sometime.

Mafia Cowboy

I will have drive by and check that one out. I have only seen the out near Lake St. Louis on my way to work.

[FULLSIZE#1]

I see people saying anything they can, just to make the Hummer dealers lives hell. Most ignorant people through seeing a Hummer or not think "SMOG O MY GOD", right of the bat, lol. Of course not all, but from what I have seen, im sure it does not help. Just to add my two cents, I have to admit, I do not think "rugged" when I look at the new Hummers. For me the Hummer one feeling is lost at the moment.

BTW, Hello all, I am new!! LOL.

[boblutzfan]

Originally posted by laserwizard@Sep 6 2004, 01:30 PM
Awesome building design. I betcha those liberal areas of the country are the ones whining the most. Freedom. A foreign language to liberals.

Finally something from Laserwizard that I can agree with. Preach it!!!

I am beginning to see a trend here.... the "cultured" liberals set zoning laws and the "un-cultered" liberals set Hummers on fire. All together now... "I'm a liberal and I am opposed to the free market economy that exists in America."

I would invite both groups to move to France.

[boblutzfan]

Originally posted by ibechip+Sep 6 2004, 03:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (ibechip @ Sep 6 2004, 03:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-laserwizard@Sep 6 2004, 06:30 PM
Awesome building design.&nbsp; I betcha those liberal areas of the country are the ones whining the most.&nbsp; Freedom.&nbsp; A foreign language to liberals.

Wow he actually managed to turn this into a political bash against liberals. You're as bad as my 90 year old grandma. [/b][/quote]
He is just speaking the truth. I doubt he is trying to turn this into a political issue.