The Hiawatha Economic Development Corporation (HEDCO) has announced updates on three Hiawatha business projects, including a new Hyundai dealership facility at the McGrath Family of Dealerships campus.
McGrath will be expanding its business located at the corner of Boyson and North Center Point roads in Hiawatha with the construction of a new standalone Hyundai sales and service facility.
Lindsay McGrath, general manager of the McGrath dealerships, said the company will break ground on the new Hyundai facility this spring on land McGrath already owns just to the north of the existing campus.
The new facility is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025.
Ms. McGrath said the company acquired the local Hyundai franchise as part of the purchase of the former Zimmerman Auto Center in July 2017. The Hyundai franchise was then moved to the McGrath campus in Hiawatha in March 2020, sharing a building with McGrath’s Ford dealership in a building formerly used for Buick, Cadillac and GMC sales after those three franchises moved to a newly-constructed facility at 1600 51st St. NE.
Ms. McGrath said the new Hyundai facility has been needed for some time.
“We got to a point where we needed to operate (Hyundai) separately from Ford, in its own facility,” she said.
The new Hyundai facility will comprise approximately 25,000 square feet and include both sales and service functions. It’s still in the design process, Ms. McGrath said, but will adhere to “very specific design standards” prescribed by Hyundai under the company’s ongoing GDSI (Global Dealership Space Identity) design benchmark.
Ms. McGrath said about 78% of Hyundai dealers nationwide have either completed, or are in the process of completing, new dealership facilities.
“The elements are pretty much identical across the U.S.,” she said.
The project is expected to come before the Hiawatha City Council for formal approval in February.
HEDCO also announced two other updates on Hiawatha development projects.
Jim Buresh Construction has moved its headquarters to a newly constructed building on Miller Road. The construction company has consolidated offices and warehouses, once located in Cedar Rapids, to the new Hiawatha facility.
Jim Buresh Construction specializes in new home construction and remodeling and employs 15 people at their new site.
In addition, Stillwater Coffee Company has recently reopened under new management. The coffee shop, located at 1275 North Center Point Road in Hiawatha, is now managed by Marissa Anton and serves breakfast and lunch in an open concept shop.
“We are pleased to see this kind of growth from large and small businesses in Hiawatha,” HEDCO coordinator Liz Mathis said. “The economy is picking up and we’re here to support that in any way we can.”
