Five Star Chrysler Dodge dealership to move into new Macon facility by December

By the end of this year, a longtime Macon automobile dealership is expected to be in a new, state-of-the-art facility.

Construction of a showroom and offices for Five Star Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram at 3068 Riverside Drive has been underway about two months, said Bobby Cramer, operations manager at the dealership.

“We hope we are about halfway through,” Cramer said. “We hope they will be through by December, weather permitting.”

The existing facility was built in the early 1960s, he said, and has been added onto several times.

The new, two-story building is being constructed between the existing Five Star Chrysler Dodge building and the Five Star Mazda dealership.

“We are doubling our size,” Cramer said. “Everything in the building will be new. ... We are not taking anything out of the old building except maybe computers. ... It will be an asset to Macon, Georgia, and to Riverside Drive.”

All the office personnel and Internet department will be upstairs, and the sales force and showroom will be located on the first floor.

“Right now we are on top of each other,” he said. “When we finish this building, the (existing Five Star Chrysler Dodge) building will come down.”

Once the new construction is completed, “the next step is to remodel the Mazda building,” he said.

About two years ago, Five Star moved its Hyundai dealership to a building it renovated at the corner of Riverside Drive and Wimbish Road. Also Five Star moved its body shop to the rear of that property.

To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223 or find her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.

This story was originally published September 9, 2015 at 10:32 PM.