KELLOGG — Ground has been broken on what is expected to be an exciting addition to the Dave Smith Motors family.

After it was announced that Jeep wanted to push its popular Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer brands separately from its other models — similarly to the now-distinctive Dodge and Ram brands — Jeep also decided that for dealerships to continue to sell those specific models that they would need to have a separate showroom.

And that is precisely what Dave Smith is building.

The 6,136-square-foot showroom will cost the dealership more than $3 million to build — $3.4 million to be exact, and is expected to be completed by November of this year.

For years the dealership has maintained several lots throughout Kellogg, including a main lot directly adjacent to its offices in what was formerly Sunnyside Elementary School’s playground area.

The casual passersby may have noticed that over the past few weeks all of the vehicles have been moved off that lot space and now heavy equipment and a 6-foot fence has been placed around the lot.

Dave Smith Motors General Manager Troy Hojem was excited for the groundbreaking, specifically for what it means to the company, which has been at the forefront of any expansion — particularly as it pertains to the Jeep brand.

The new state of the art showroom will be specifically for the displaying and selling of Jeep’s Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models and will include a covered breezeway and charging areas for the electric vehicle (EV) models Hojem explained.

Nearly 150,000 Wagoneer models were sold in 2019 in the United States — making them among the most popular luxury SUVs on the market. A brand that will likely increase in popularity as they transition to releasing Wagoneer EV models.

Hojem also doesn’t expect the construction work to impact traffic on Cameron Avenue as it intersects through the Dave Smith headquarters — with all of the work being contained to the fenced off area of the former parking lot.