Bettenhausen auto dealership to open in Lockport Square off 159th Street near I-355
The earth moving and concrete pouring underway off 159th Street near Interstate 355 in Lockport is construction of an auto dealership on land where a Target and Home Depot were once to be built.
The city Planning & Zoning Commission and the City Council approved a plan in 2019 for Bettenhausen to open a dealership in Lockport Square, at West 159th Street and Adelmann Drive, according to a city staff report outlining the project. Construction was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to city officials.
“For this particular new car dealership, this is the first one that we’ve had in the city. This is a new service that is going to be provided for residents,” said city planner Kimberly Phillips. “Our hope is they are successful.”
Phillips said Lockport Square was established in 2007 as a space for retail development near Interstate 355. Initially, the plan was for Home Depot and Target to build in the larger lots of the square with smaller retail and restaurant options nearby, but the 2008 recession and its aftermath upended the development plans, she said.
The dealership will take up a portion of the property where the Home Depot was to be built, Phillips said.
“It was always intended for retail purpose,” Phillips said. “There was some movement of the lot lines ... but the particular use was never an issue.”
The dealership will sell Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep vehicles, according to the report, and have a 34,050-square-foot building that will house the sales floor, service areas and offices.
At the northeast corner of the property, a Jeep rock display will be built, according to the report.
Outside of the building, the main parking lot will have 536 parking spaces for vehicle inventory with additional parking spots around the building for customers and employees.
Lockport Square still has space, including the large portion of land where Target was to be built, for retail businesses, Phillips said.
No formal proposals have been filed for new businesses to open in Lockport Square, Phillips said, but residents have told city officials they would like to see more sit-down restaurants.
“We want to see successful development. We’d like to see services that are beneficial to the community,” Phillips said.
Over the last five years, Phillips said businesses have opened along 159th Street in front of the dealership, including Mod Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Noodles & Company and Crumbl Cookies.
“We’ve seen some development take place on the out lots that are visible from 159th Street,” Phillips said. “We’ve seen some steady commercial proposals coming through.”
