This past Friday, Oct. 29, Friendly Ford held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction for its new Friendly Ford Commercial Vehicle Center.
Friendly Ford is part of the Friendly Auto Group, an automobile retail brand based in the mid-Hudson Valley. It includes Friendly Honda and Friendly Ford in Poughkeepsie, Friendly Acura of Middletown, Friendly Honda of Fayetteville and Capital Luxury Cars in Albany.
Eric Kahn, president and CEO of Friendly Auto Group; Bill O’Neil, Dutchess County deputy executive; New York State Sen. Sue Serino; Poughkeepsie Town Supervisor Jay Baisley; and Dave Perczak, regional manager of Ford Motor Company in New York, all spoke at the event.
“Friendly Ford is a valued partner, and their commitment to the brand is evident by the event we are all participating in today,” said Perczak. “The commercial business is expanding, and the Friendly Auto Group is investing in the community to help ensure they are able to service this important part of the business and to provide access to trusted service for any commercial or business in the area that needs their vehicle on the road to continue their operations in a timely fashion.”
“Under (Ford Motor Company) CEO Jim Farley, Ford, which is already the leader in the commercial van and truck segments, is doubling down on these segments with the launch of its brand-new “Pro” division,” Kahn said. “Aligning with Ford’s direction and responding to steady growth in its sales and service business, Friendly Ford is constructing and launching a new state-of-the-art Commercial Vehicle Center.”
The vehicle center is being constructed by BBL Construction Services and was designed by Mazzarelli Architecture.
It will include eight new commercial bays deigned to handle large vehicles, and renovations will be completed for the existing 11-bay shop, intended to make the areas more efficient and technician friendly.
Upon completion, it will be able to utilize the new spaces to service both commercial and passenger vehicles.
