Robberson rendered elevations 10.22-2

Robberson Ford has started a $5 million project to update the 43-year-old Bend dealership and keep up with the company’s growth.

“We have been looking off and on, for probably the last 10 to 12 years, whether to remodel here or relocate the facility to another location. And we finally made the decision about two years ago that it would be in our best interest to stay here,” said Jeff Robberson, owner of Robberson Ford of Bend and Prineville.

The dealership has been at 2100 N.E. Third St. in Bend since 1971 when his father, Gordy Robberson built it. At the time, he said, Third Street ended at the dealership, but over the years the city has grown around it making it a central and convenient location for his customers.

“Once you have that identity, reputation and location, I think it’s fairly important,” he said.

At the same time he was exploring remodeling options, Robberson said, Ford Motor Company announced a program where it would pay part of the cost.

The project will be handled in three phases and is anticipated to be completed by fall, he said. In total, Robberson expects the project to cost about $5 million, and the dealership will remain open throughout construction.

The first phase is remodeling Robberson Quicklane, which offers oil changes, battery tests and tire changes. Construction to enlarge the waiting room began in December and is expected to be completed in mid-February.

For about two years, he said, Robberson Ford has been working with the city to vacate the portion of Northeast Vail Street between its Ford and Mazda showrooms. He said the process was finalized last month, and excavation to relocate the city water and sewer lines to Northeast Fourth Street will begin in February, when the Quicklane work is complete.

Then, he said, “the granddaddy” phase — remodeling the Ford dealership — will begin.

“This is going to be really painful because my dad designed it all himself,” he said. “We’re essentially going to tear down everything with the exception of the service department and rebuild it where it was.”

A little more than 10,000 additional square feet is being added, he said, making the sales showroom, administrative offices and customer support areas nearly 28,500 square-feet.

The application for the showroom work was submitted to the city of Bend on Dec. 27. Robberson hopes to start demolishing the building in the second week of March and said construction should take six to seven months.

“You think about Bend in 1971 and Bend in 2014, our customer base has grown hugely,” he said. “How we market and sell the vehicles has changed dramatically with the big presence of the Internet market, and the facility is not very customer or employee friendly.

“We’ve made it work; we’re coming off a record year, but it’s time to modernize and move forward. We’ve always believed in reinvesting in our own business, and it’s time to step up and do that and take it to the next level.”

—Reporter: 541-617-7818,

rrees@bendbulletin.com