Fields Auto Group continues to pursue reviews for its proposed Porsche and Mercedes-Benz service centers in World Commerce Center along Interstate 95 in St. Johns County.
The reason is to serve the market for those luxury brands: “To better assist our customers in an expanding area,” said Garry Redig, Fields Auto Group vice president, in an email May 28.
Orlando-based Fields Automotive Group bought about 15.5 acres, known as Parcel G-2 in World Commerce Center, about two years ago for up to three dealership brand service centers. Redig said there were no current plans for the third.
There also are no plans to add dealerships at the World Commerce Center property.
In Northeast Florida, Fields Auto Group owns Fields Cadillac Jacksonville and Fields Cadillac St. Augustine; Jaguar Jacksonville; Land Rover Jacksonville; Lexus of Jacksonville; Lexus of Orange Park; Mercedes-Benz of Jacksonville; Mercedes-Benz of Orange Park; Porsche Jacksonville; and Fields Collision Jacksonville.
Fields Auto Group has been applying for permitting and reviews with St. Johns County and the St. Johns River Water Management District for the first two service center projects.
Porsche at World Commerce Center is on 5.2 acres. It is designed as a 21,000-square-foot service center with a 4,500-square-foot car wash and detail center.
Mercedes-Benz at World Commerce Center is on 5.8 acres. It is designed as a 27,097-square-foot automotive service center.
Another 5-acre site remains for development.
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Fields Motorcars of Florida Inc. in Orlando paid $10 million for 15.5 acres in a purchase that closed Dec. 6, 2022.
It bought the vacant land from Jacksonville-based Steinemann-Wolfe LLC.
“All I can tell you is that we are planning on building automotive sales and service centers,” said Shermin Pelinski, general counsel for Fields Auto Group, in an email June 5, 2023.
“We anticipate 2 to 3 luxury brands/dealerships,” she said, but could not discuss which brands.
The Fields property is south of the proposed Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, which is south of Costco Wholesale and Buc-ee’s.
Steinemann is the developer of the World Commerce Center Development of Regional Impact, which is at I-95 and International Golf Parkway.
Along with the sale, Steinemann Development Company – Florida Inc. allocated 130,000 square feet of development rights for retail use to Fields Motorcars of Florida Inc.
Pelinski is general counsel of Fields Auto Group in Glencoe, Illinois, near Chicago.
Fields Auto Group
FieldsAuto.com says Fields Auto Group has 34 dealerships in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin.
The site says that Fields Auto, which is family-owned and operated, began with the opening of Fields Cadillac in Evanston, Illinois, near Chicago, in 1971.
Its 19 brands are MINI, BMW, Bentley Motors, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Jaguar, Jeep, Karma, Lamborghini, Land Rover and Range Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ram Trucks, Rolls-Royce, Sprinter, Volvo Cars and Mazda.
It also sells used vehicles.
In the Arlington area of Jacksonville, work is proceeding for Mercedes-Benz of Jacksonville to renovate its Arlington dealership center at 10231 Atlantic Blvd.
The city issued a permit May 20 for a $10,966,369 project that includes demolition, site work, construction and renovation of the dealership. The permit follows one issued May 6 for a $292,000 start to the project.
RLH Construction LLC of Oviedo is the contractor. A cost breakdown specifies $292,000 for the renovation and $10,674,369 for an addition that will replace demolished structures.
The Duval County Property Appraiser shows that Fields Motorcars of Florida bought the property in 2016 from Brumos Motor Cars Inc.