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Work begins on new Burtness dealership

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

Don Fanning of Fanning Excavation does some layout work on the building site for the Burtness Chevrolet dealership in Orfordville.Site preparation for the building and its parking lots is well under way, thanks to the mild weather this season.

What it is: Burtness Chevrolet of Orfordville is building a new dealership that will nearly triple its size in the village west of Janesville. The new dealership will be about 26,000 square feet and is on Highway 11 adjacent to the village business park just west of Highway 213.

Burtness and the village have worked out a deal that will allow the village to take over the current dealership property for its offices, police department and possibly the library.

The progress: Construction equipment has been moving dirt at the 15-acre site during the last couple of weeks. The crew is preparing the site and hopes are to get the foundation poured before winter takes over, said Brian Bowditch of Burtness.

Depending on weather, crews might work through winter. The business is expecting to move in mid-summer or early fall, he said.

The project also has received all its needed approvals. The village board approved the developers agreement last week, but it has yet to be signed by both parties, clerk Sherri Waege said. The village granted approval for an early start so work could be done during good weather while the paperwork was finalized, she said.

How the deal works:

-- The village closed last week on the purchase of the 15-acre parcel from Gary Fossum for $270,000. The property already has been annexed into the village and was added to the business park's existing tax incremental finance district. The village is borrowing $290,000—the extra $20,000 covers closing costs, real estate and engineering fees and the cost to amend the TIF district—over 20 years at 3.75 percent, Waege said.

-- The village is selling the 15 acres to Burtness for a nominal fee—about $1. Once the developers agreement has all the needed signatures, the land will be transferred to Burtness.

-- The village will take ownership of the current dealership at 303 E. Beloit St. after the business moves to its new facility. A recent appraisal of the property ordered by Burtness came in at about $470,000, Bowditch said.