Emmons Autoplex

Introduction

Growing up in south Houston, four brothers would wash cars at their father’s car lot, Emmons Autoplex. Today, those four brothers have continued their father’s legacy as they have learned every area of the business from the ground up. Since 1972, the business has become one of the largest independently owned dealerships in the Webster, Clear Lake, Galveston, Dickinson, and Houston areas.

As the company continued to grow, it was time to construct an all-new facility that would attract new customers and keep up with the busy dealership’s demand for car buyers and service requests. With Heitkamp Swift Architects and Bennett Design Group, the design team created a plan to reflect the high-end feel the dealership conveyed in a modern facility that would be welcoming for all types of car shoppers.

The  Story

The owner specifically requested a polished look, providing Bennett Design Group with a challenge to balance heavy pedestrian traffic with safety in a contemporary modern style. To ensure the autoplex’s flooring offered modern appeal and high performance, the team specified Crossville’s Shades 2.0 collection. The line’s contemporary colors of Mist, Ash, and Midnight were chosen in the semi-polished finish.

For the main showroom floor, the team installed the Shades 2.0 Midnight tile in the 12″ x 24″ option at a 45-degree angle. The beautiful true black colorway offers a stunning backdrop for the company’s showcase vehicles. As with any car dealership, the showroom floor should withstand the weight of moving cars. The tile was installed on an anti-fracture subfloor to ensure that the tile could withstand car movements. 

In addition to the showroom, the owner wanted a special focus on the customer lounge area for people getting their cars serviced. Bennett Design Group (BDG) chose Crossville’s Shades 2.0 in the Ash and Mist hues in the 24” x 24” size. The tile selections beautifully provide a modern setting with the high performance needed in such a high-traffic area.

To skin the wall surfaces of the elevator core, BDG chose Crossville’s Porcelain Tile Panels by Laminam providing a sleek modern aesthetic in the space next to the customer lounge. Installed on the walls, Laminam’s Filo collection in the Argento color adds a textured, metallic finish creating a uniform yet dimensional surfacing solution. With their generous 1M x 3M exterior dimensions and lean 3 mm thickness, the Laminam panels offer the size and style the space demands.

BDG again chose Crossville’s Shades 2.0 to finish the new facility’s public restrooms. Crossville’s Shades 2.0 collection not only offered the right aesthetics and color options, but it also provided the required technical specifications for busy, high-traffic areas. Crossville tiles offer the technical performance and durability essential for commercial spaces.