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Hot spot may get another car store

A Tampa dealership hopes to open a new store by December next door to one of its others near State Road 54 and Interstate 75.

By CHUIN-WEI YAP
Published August 30, 2006

LAND O'LAKES - Ferman Automotive of Tampa filed plans with state officials last week to add a new store on State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard.

The move comes barely two months after it opened another dealership in the Oak Grove neighborhood.

The new 8-acre site, right next door to its current dealership, would carry Chryslers, Jeeps and Dodges.

"The site that's proposed is vacant land next door to Ferman's existing Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership," said Dean Bunch, the dealership's attorney.

County property records show Ferman paid $2.6-million for the full 12-acre site at that corner, not far from Interstate 75, in November 2004.

Interstate exits have long been attractive territories for car dealerships.

Ferman's expansion is part of a yearlong jostle as dealerships position themselves in the potentially lucrative central and east Pasco market, dotting the area's two I-75 exits.

One interstate exit north from Ferman's dealership, Wesley Chapel Toyota is poised to open its doors in September.

Across the interstate on County Road 54, a Honda dealership is due to open in the southwest corner of the intersection.

Wesley Chapel Nissan has been open in the neighborhood since 2005.

Farther west on CR 54, at the intersection with Lexington Oaks Boulevard, the Mazda-Hyundai dealership is wrapping up its construction.

"I would say we'll be selling new cars there by the middle of October," said owner Scott Fink, who also owns Hyundai of New Port Richey.

Plans are to have the Ferman Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge dealership open by December 2006, barring any legal protest in the 30-day window that follows the dealership's notice of intent filed with state officials last week, Bunch said.

A legal challenge, typically on the basis of market turf, may derail a dealership's location plans.

Earlier this year, an administrative law judge ruled that Harry "Buddy" Foster could not move his Zephyrhills Chevrolet dealership to a Cypress Creek location because two rival Chevrolet dealers had sued to block Foster.

Foster said Tuesday he still plans to file for another attempt to set up at I-75 and SR 56, but has not yet done so.

He also plans to sell part of his 12-acre site at the Cypress Creek location, bought in 2004 for $4.6-million.

Not all the 12 acres would have been used for his dealership, he said.

Chuin-Wei Yap covers growth and development in Pasco County. He can be reached at (813)909-4613 or cyap@sptimes.com.

[Last modified August 30, 2006, 06:40:14]