
New Audi Dealership to Open Near Downtown
#1
Posted 09 January 2009 - 12:09 PM
Some auto dealers still expanding, building
By BOB COX
rcox@star-telegram.com
At a time when sales of new cars of all types and price ranges are badly depressed, some dealerships are still opening new locations, building facilities and expanding old ones.
At a groundbreaking Thursday for his new Fort Worth Audi dealership, owner Bobby Baillargeon said he’d been asked several times why he’s investing $2 million in a new location now.
"I believe in myself. I believe in my team. I believe in Audi," Baillargeon said. "And most importantly I really believe in the Fort Worth economy."
New car and truck sales in the U.S. last year were at their lowest level since 1992, 13.2 million vehicles, and the rate of sales in November and December was the lowest in 25 years.
Comprehensive sales results haven’t been released yet for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Baillargeon, owner of DFW Audi in Euless, the only other Tarrant County outlet for the high-end German-made autos, said he’d been working for three years with Audi to get approval to open the outlet near University Drive and White Settlement Road.
Baillargeon bought the 1.5-acre site three years ago from the Autobahn dealership group and then worked to convince Audi’s U.S. leadership that the Fort Worth market could justify a dealership.
The changes in Fort Worth, with a booming downtown, fast-growing condo, apartment and retail developments along Seventh Street, and the Trinity River project all bode well, Baillargeon said.
"I think this is a great location for luxury cars," he said. "A lot of people work downtown, and we’ll be close and convenient for service."
Baillargeon isn’t the only area dealer betting on the future now, even amid a fast-deteriorating national economy.
The Frank Kent dealership group plans to begin construction this year on a $20 million site for its Honda dealership on the west side of Loop 820 in southwest Fort Worth, across the freeway from the existing location.
Will Churchill, co-owner of the Kent dealerships, said it’s just good business to go ahead with the big project at this point, regardless of the current economic outlook.
"I’ve got to have it ready when the boom hits so I’ll be able to take advantage. There’s always going to be cycles," Churchill said.
The new facility will include a 75,000-square-foot sales and service complex on the 12-acre site. Churchill said the group just finished a $3 million rebuilding of its Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealership facilities.
In Arlington, Classic Buick-Pontiac-GMC is building a stand-alone used vehicle sales facility on adjacent land the dealership had previously purchased from the Don Davis dealership group.
And Park Place Motorcars, the Mercedes dealership on Bryan Irvin Road in southwest Fort Worth, has been remodeling part of its showroom-office complex to add a separate "Smart Center," which will handle sales of the tiny Mercedes-built Smart cars beginning in February.
When the new Baillargeon dealership opens — the target date is Aug. 1 — it will be the first time Fort Worth has had an Audi dealership since 1994.
Baillargeon said that his Euless dealership sells about 400 new vehicles and similar number of used ones a year and that he expects the Fort Worth dealership to do as well.
He will hire 25 people to staff the 16,000-square-foot dealership.
Fort Construction of Fort Worth is the contractor. Wachovia Bank provided the financing.
#2
Posted 09 January 2009 - 03:42 PM
#3
Posted 31 January 2009 - 10:11 PM

#4
Posted 01 February 2009 - 09:25 AM
#5
Posted 07 April 2022 - 01:56 PM
I saw a new Audi dealership being built off of I-20 near Benbrook. Looks like the Audi Fort Worth may be relocating once that is complete?
- Big Frog II likes this
#8
Posted 08 April 2022 - 01:39 PM
I don't know if this is the same dealership that is on University.
The one being built off I-20 is a group out of Houston.
Now they might have bought out the university location, but who knows.
#9
Posted 08 April 2022 - 02:00 PM
You are correct, Group 1 out of Houston bought the Audi dealership on University Dr. in 2017 and they are building the new one in Benbrook:
https://www.tdlr.tex.../TABS2020010443
116 University Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76107
https://www.group1co...ort-Worth-Texas
https://www.group1au...tml?state=Texas
#10
Posted 08 April 2022 - 02:30 PM
Group 1 bought dealership from Ballargeon (sp).
Group 1 supposedly prefers interstate locations. The dealership itself says they needed a larger property, and tells customers that is their reason for moving.
IMO seem to be moving farther from their obvious core customer base (city people) and out into suburbia where you really dont see as many Audis currently. Perhaps that will change as the location shifts. After the Audi dealership opened on University there was a visible increase in the # of Audis you could see around central FW vs the years prior, so dealership/repair location likely matters.
#11
Posted 14 April 2022 - 12:48 PM
Group 1 bought dealership from Ballargeon (sp).
Group 1 supposedly prefers interstate locations. The dealership itself says they needed a larger property, and tells customers that is their reason for moving.
IMO seem to be moving farther from their obvious core customer base (city people) and out into suburbia where you really dont see as many Audis currently. Perhaps that will change as the location shifts. After the Audi dealership opened on University there was a visible increase in the # of Audis you could see around central FW vs the years prior, so dealership/repair location likely matters.
it is 2-5 miles to a Mercedes, Lexus and Infinity dealerships from the new Audi location
- Big Frog II likes this
#12
Posted 14 April 2022 - 01:51 PM
Group 1 bought dealership from Ballargeon (sp).
Group 1 supposedly prefers interstate locations. The dealership itself says they needed a larger property, and tells customers that is their reason for moving.
IMO seem to be moving farther from their obvious core customer base (city people) and out into suburbia where you really dont see as many Audis currently. Perhaps that will change as the location shifts. After the Audi dealership opened on University there was a visible increase in the # of Audis you could see around central FW vs the years prior, so dealership/repair location likely matters.
it is 2-5 miles to a Mercedes, Lexus and Infinity dealerships from the new Audi location
I was thinking the same thing, Sewell Infiniti is just up the road there on Bryant Irvin. I was sort of suprised there wasn't already an Audi dealership off of I-20 in that area already.
#13
Posted 15 April 2022 - 09:15 AM
The current Audi dealership location has no space to expand. This has been in the works since at least 2018. The pandemic may have slowed down the timeline. I think this is a good location for them plus the current location offers someone else an opportunity in a booming area for another type business.
#14
Posted 16 September 2022 - 04:13 PM
The old dealership property and maintenance center have been listed for sale
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/211-University-Drive-Fort-Worth-TX/26587372/
https://www.loopnet....th-TX/26587352/
#15
Posted 28 September 2022 - 12:43 AM
The current Audi dealership location has no space to expand. This has been in the works since at least 2018. The pandemic may have slowed down the timeline. I think this is a good location for them plus the current location offers someone else an opportunity in a booming area for another type business.
Hard to know if lack of expansion was main reason or if preference for a location on an interstate was.
There has been a site available for several years on White Settlement Rd just northwest of the former Audi dealership. I assume they could have leased that site but dont know if the owner was offering reasonable economics.
#16
Posted 15 January 2025 - 03:15 PM
Per TAD, the old Audi dealership on University was purchased by Weatherford-based Gilchrist Automotive: https://www.gilchris.../locations.html
#17
Posted 15 January 2025 - 03:49 PM
#18
Posted 15 January 2025 - 04:24 PM
An article from July on the sale: https://fortworthinc...iversity-sells/
#19
Posted 16 January 2025 - 09:25 AM
#20
Posted 16 January 2025 - 09:27 AM
Was sort of hoping we'd get away from car lots over there.
#22
Posted 16 January 2025 - 10:31 AM
The old Audi dealership spot was really way too small for a car dealership in my opinion.
#23
Posted 16 January 2025 - 11:20 AM
#24
Posted 16 January 2025 - 11:22 AM
From what I understand, Gilchrist is just doing land development/investment projects much like Frank Kent and others have gotten into. They bought that old Audi dealership a long time ago and haven't done anything buy squatted since. Probably waiting for the bigger "Bass Family" development to be announced and then will turn into a winer, art gallery, or co-working space and just sell the land. I am highly doubtful it becomes an auto-dealer as once Autobahn leaves for CTP/Oakmont there would be no more "critical mass" in the area for that type of business. It's a newer shell with great natural night and parking garage in a highly desirable area. If I had the money I would have plopped it down there for a few years too.
Larkspur already announced last year: https://www.bizjourn...th-project.html
- bclaridge likes this
#25
Posted 16 January 2025 - 11:32 AM
From what I've seen there is a more developed and thorough concept that is coming soon.
https://www.bizjourn...watch-2005.html
- bclaridge likes this
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