#1 Cochran Proposes New Dealership Showroom in Brookline

#1 Cochran Automotive is hoping to build a new Volkswagen dealership at the at the corner of Blaine and West Liberty avenues, but the City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission will have to grant two variances before construction is approved.

Bill Krahe, president of Grandview Development Co., which is handling the design for #1 Cochran, shared the proposed site plans at the monthly meeting of the South Pittsburgh Development Corp. on Monday night.

The proposed 6,800-square-foot showroom was downscaled from a 16,000-square-foot VW showroom prototype to allow room for a canopy on the off-street side of the building.

The existing service building will be remodeled as the VW service center, he said. Two other buildings will be demolished in order to create the new showroom site.

“This is a special case because of the highway commercial zoning,” said Jason Kambitsis, Pittsburgh city planner.

Despite downsizing the standard dealership size, the proposal still does not meet the city's rear and side setback requirements, thus requiring a variance. The city requires a 30-foot rear setback. Krahe said the proposed showroom has only a 27-foot setback at one back corner and 20-foot setback at the other.

The second variance, if approved, would allow the dealership to build with a setback of only eight feet on the Blaine Avenue side of the building. The requirement is 30 feet, Krahe said.

“That would create a significant issue with the layout,” Krahe said. “This variance does not detract from the residential component of Blaine.”

He explained that the building sits lower than the residential properties in the back. A 10- to 15-foot buffer would be provided along the residential property edge.

“You probably know Rob Cochran from commercials,” Krahe said, referring to the often humorous ads that feature the dealership's owner. “It’s an opportunity to enhance the #1 Cochran plan. It is the intent of #1 Cochran to improve all the properties he owns in Dormont.”

A variance hearing will be held on Nov. 17 before the city planning commission at 200 Ross St. in downtown Pittsburgh. Those who cannot attend can send letters stating their support or objections to the plan.

Kambitsis said notices will be posted on the property and adjacent property owners should receive written notice of the hearing.

The #1 Cochran presence in the Dormont-Brookline area:

• McMinn Hyundai/Nissan was acquired in about 2004.

• The current Hyundai property was leased from Bill Gray in early 2009 and acquired in December 2010.

• Volkswagen is operating at the former Saturn dealership at Pioneer and West Liberty avenue. The address for the temporary showroom is 2841 West Liberty Ave. The permanent site proposed has two addresses: the sales facility at 2723 West Liberty Ave. and the service facility in the former Bill Gray Subaru service facility at 2756 West Liberty Ave.

• There were two buildings recently demolished: 3220 West Liberty Ave. (Friday building), in anticipation of the Nissan/Infiniti expansion; and 3144 West Liberty Ave. (the old Hyundai building), in preparation for the Infiniti building. When the project stalled, it was converted to a temporary display lot.

• In Castle Shannon, a proposed facility is the #1 Cochran Automotive Center, which will offer collision services, mechanical quick service facility (like a quick lube facility) and a mechanical repair facility to support the dealerships on West Liberty Avenue.