donnell ford

Following a devastating fire in March 2019, Phillips Sekanick Architects worked with Donnell Ford in Boardman, Ohio, to assess, redesign, and reconstruct the heavily damaged showroom at 7955 Market Street. The fire destroyed the primary showroom and damaged adjoining offices, while heat, smoke, and water affected additional areas. Working with the owner, contractor, insurance representatives, and consulting engineers, Phillips Sekanick Architects developed a coordinated fire-recovery, demolition, and reconstruction plan that allowed dealership operations to continue during construction.

A temporary showroom was established elsewhere in the facility while Phillips Sekanick Architects designed the new automotive showroom to meet updated Ford Motor Company facility and brand standards. The project also included improvements to dealership offices, sales areas, the parts department, and customer lounge, creating a more cohesive and contemporary customer environment.

Donnell Ford owner David Flynn summarized the dealership’s determination after the fire: “It can be replaced. We’ll get by.” The reconstructed showroom reopened in late 2019, demonstrating Phillips Sekanick Architects’ experience in automotive dealership architecture, emergency reconstruction, commercial renovation, phased occupancy planning, and corporate prototype design while allowing a longtime Boardman business to remain operational throughout recovery.