Cerritos : Suzuki to Join Auto Square

The City Council has approved construction of a Suzuki car dealership next to Cerritos Ford in the 18900 block of Studebaker Road. A 7,407-square-foot, two-story building will house offices and a showroom that will be owned and operated by Cerritos Ford.

The exterior of the building will have the same New Orleans-style architecture and facade of other dealerships in the Auto Square that lines both sides of Studebaker between South and 183rd streets. Construction is expected to begin in early summer with completion by the end of the year.

Cerritos Ford is the only dealership whose exterior does not fit the New Orleans theme. As part of the Suzuki project, owners of Cerritos Ford plan to spend about $120,000 to remodel the exterior of their showroom to conform with the Auto Square look. Because Cerritos Ford was on Studebaker Road before the city created the Auto Square with zoning changes and taxpayer dollars, the dealership cannot be required to upgrade its exterior. So as an incentive to remodel, the City Council agreed to pay about half the cost for Cerritos Ford’s new look with redevelopment funds.