Mercedes-Benz of San Francisco
New Dealership and Maintenance Center
San Francisco, CA

Located at the corner of 8th and Bryant Streets in South of Market, Mercedes-Benz' new dealership had once been a television production studio. In the late 90's, Huntsman seismically retrofitted and renovated the building for a technology client venturing into the Internet-television market. In 2003, the building changed ownership again and Mercedes-Benz envisioned the building as a new showroom and expansion center for its existing dealership at Van Ness Avenue.

Mercedes-Benz wanted Huntsman's design to include an expansion of the existing 50,000sf facility to meet their dealership's current and projected growth. The design consists of four independent buildings that house showroom, sales, administrative, service and storage functions. Building A will house a dramatic two-story height showroom with a cylindrical glass tower facing the intersection of 8th and Bryant Streets. Building B is a slender three-story, glass-enclosed atrium that connect Buildings A and C. Located in Building C is a state-of-the-art service department featuring in-ground car lifts that maintain a clean aesthetic when not in use. Building D houses the administrative offices and auto-parts department.

Mercedes-Benz views its service department as an additional showroom and wanted the area to be perceived as such by its customers. An entire floor was added at the roof level with an internal car ramp servicing each floor to increase the inventory of cars that Mercedes-Benz could keep on site.

Completion Date: June 2006
Size: 73,400sf

photography by David Wakely