New Harley-Davidson dealership to open this year

Commuters traveling on the bypass will look over at the new Harley-Davidson dealership in northeast Carson City and look right into a showcase of motorcycles.

In about 10 months, Carson City Harley-Davidson will open its $4 million dealership at 2900 Research Way.

"Facing the freeway, there will be a triangular showcase that juts out of the building," said Jeff Shaheen, owner of Shaheen Beauchamp Builders, the project's contractor. "At night they are going to be lit up, so it's going to look like little picture frames.

"There's no other building like it in Carson City."

The orange and gray building will be 37,000 square feet, about 2,000 square feet more than the building the dealership leases on North Carson Street. It will showcase 70 motorcycles and employee several more people for a total of 25, said Maya Keller, service director for Carson City Harley-Davidson.

"The time frame we're looking at is a week to move everything in, and we'll be using our complete staff for that entire week," he said.

Keller said they could be open by Dec. 1.

The two-story building will have a mezzanine, 13,000-square-foot showroom, storage space for customers' bikes and a full-service shop.

The designer is Hannafin Design Associates.

"The grand opening party will be in 2008," Keller said.

The move would leave an empty 35,000-square-foot building at 2749 N. Carson St. Most of that shopping center is owned by the Berlin Family Properties, of Los Angeles.

Richard Tapia, who also owns Harley stores in Lake Tahoe, Merced and Los Banos, Calif., purchased the 4.5 acres near the freeway from Research Investments for $3 million in October 2005, according to assessor records.

The remaining 11 acres in Shaheen Business Park, at East College Parkway and Research Way, is owned by Shaheen, Roger Shaheen, who is his father, and Tom Johnson. Nevada State Bank purchased the corner lot.

• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

Quick facts

Other projects by Shaheen Beauchamp Builders:

• Carson Urologists Ltd.

1425 Vista Lane, on the medical center campus

8,000-square-foot medical office

Will break ground March 19

$1.4 million

• First Presbyterian Church addition

110 N. Nevada St.

9,000-square-foot sanctuary

January completion

$1.7 million

• Skin Cancer & Dermatology Institute

3950 GS Richards Blvd. 11,000-square-foot medical office and ambulatory surgery center

Building permit expected in April

$2 million

- Source: Jeff

Shaheen