Mazda dealership breaks ground on building in New London
Apr. 18—NEW LONDON — Officials broke ground Tuesday on a new 17,000-square-foot "Retail Evolution" Mazda dealership at the former Arrow Paper Party Rental site on Colman Street that should be completed by early next year.
The Retail Evolution concept, first introduced by Mazda in 2015 in Seattle, Wash., involves a dealership that has more upscale, natural features with an open floor plan.
The dealership, on 2.6 acres, is owned by Shawna Renna and dealer principal Felippo Marchionne, who bought Whaling City Ford/Mazda across the street in 2020 from Romana and Charles Primus. Two years ago, they purchased the former Arrow Paper site at 567 Colman St. from Janet and Garry Weiss of Waterford, and have since leveled the previous building.
On Tuesday, Marchionne and Renna were there for the groundbreaking representing Whaling City Motors along with about two dozen city officials, construction representatives and Mazda executives. They used shiny shovels to move a bit of dirt around the site, which still needs extensive cleanup work.
"This is a billboard location ... Colman Street has really been evolving into a regional auto mall," Mayor Michael Passero said during the groundbreaking, which lasted only a few minutes and included no speeches. "I hope we're not done. The highest and best use of Colman Street is to have more dealerships."
"This is part of the recovery," added Felix Reyes, director of development for the city. "We're happy to see Whaling City Ford expand. We're starting to see a lot of new businesses grow and expand post pandemic."
Reyes referred specifically to Tox Brewing moving to bigger headquarters on Bank Street, along with a boom in new restaurants downtown.
Marchionne said the dealership expansion will require the hiring of about 35 new employees for the service, parts and sales departments. Renna said about a half dozen people will also move over from the legacy Ford site, which now will concentrate on trucks and the Bronco brand.
The Mazda brand has recently focused on near-luxury models under $60,000, added Marchionne. So far, the New London location will be the sixth in Connecticut to be branded as "retail evolution" sites, he added.
"We're looking to get more involved in the city," Marchionne said.
The new owners promised the dealership would be up and running before Presidents Day in 2024.
