Award of Merit - Retail/Mixed-Use Development

Photo courtesy Choate Construction Co.
The project's funky design showcases the automaker's U.S. history.

The $5.6-million Gunther Volkswagen dealership, near the Mall of Georgia, infuses historic and modern elements in a showroom that celebrates vintage vehicles alongside new product. The design capitalizes on the German automaker's place in American history through spray-painted graphics, vintage photo murals and peace signs that harken back to Volkswagen's heydays of the 1960s and '70s.

A heritage tunnel tells the story of VW from the 1940s to present day and serves as a customer path, linking the new car and vintage showrooms. Choate Construction delivered the project on time, below budget and with no lost-time accidents.

Key Players

Owner/Developer: CBRE, Detroit

Contractor: Choate Construction Co., Atlanta

Architect: Eview 360, Farmington Hills, Mich.

Submitted by:

Choate Construction Co.