Work starts on new Toyota dealership in Fairview

CONSTRUCTION of an R80-million flagship Toyota dealership has begun in Port Elizabeth’s emerging new light industry hub, Fairview Business Park, where the dealership will be the anchor tenant.

The 24 000m² site, which will be Algoa Toyota’s new home when construction is completed at year-end, is owned by the dealership’s holding company, Steinhoff.

The optimally-positioned site is on the corner of Circular Drive and Willow Road. “The [aim] is to give our customers and staff a world-class facility and experience,” Algoa Toyota general manager William Whitefield said.

“This will be a whole new all-in-onestop experience combining both [current] dealerships into one, with a whole new look and feel for the client.”

Whitefield said the high volume of traffic through the area, its rapid growth as a retail node and extensive upgrades to infrastructure, such as roads, had played a major role in the decision to set up shop there.

“One always wants to develop where there are high growth and traffic volumes,” he said.

Algoa Toyota is hoping to move into the new premises during December.

“We are always committed to the Port Elizabeth market and see lots of opportunities to grow our business,” Whitefield said.

The business will retain the name Algoa Toyota.

Whitefield said the move would introduce better efficiencies and economies of scale into the business but their staff complement would not be reduced.

John Mowbray, chairman of Fairview Property Company, the developers of the Fairview Business Park, said yesterday that of the original 41 stands put on the market in the first phase of the massive business park development, only about 12 sites were still available.

Negotiations around the sale of some of the remaining properties were under way.

He said his company had already sunk about R50-million into infrastructure and the provision of services into the business park and their investment into the area had also included upgrades to Circular Drive.

“We expect that Toyota will be bringing a fantastic new facility to the business park and we are confident the facility will be a catalyst for business and new development in this fast-growing mixed-use business, residential and light industry zone,” he said.

It was anticipated that all the sites earmarked for development as part of the first phase of the business park would be sold by the end of the year.