Some along Napa's 'auto row' avoid flood damage, others not as lucky
By MIKE TRELEVEN, Register Business Editor
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 1:10 AM PST
Napa's car dealerships along Soscol Avenue were able to steer most of their cars clear of the New Year's Eve flooding.
And because most car dealerships along "auto row" are veterans of Napa floods, they have been through the routine and have flood plans in place for when the Napa River overflows its banks.
While the majority of the damage was to landscaping, wet carpet in offices and ruined dry wall, a few dealers had cars ruined by the high waters.
Armies of employees came to work in the morning darkness to drive cars to higher ground away from the flooding.
Scott Jenson, owner of Jenson Motor Center, at 495 Soscol Ave., said that between 2 to 3 inches of water got into their recently remodeled showroom and offices.
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"It looks like 54 cars were damaged ... landscaping and fences were destroyed ... and there was a lot of mud. But we're all cleaned up and back in business," Jenson told the Register Tuesday afternoon.
Jenson said the insurance adjusters were making their rounds this week.
Jenson said all the damaged cars will be sold to a salvaged company and the cars' titles will be "branded" as salvage.
"Moisture to the inside electronics is the biggest problem," he added.
This was Jenson's third flood, having weathered those of 1986, 1995 and now 2005.
Jenson said he had permission to move about 125 cars to the Raley's Supermarket parking lot, which is on higher ground. "We started doing that around 4:30 a.m. ... it took us a couple of hours."
But 10 days after the flooding, it was business as usual at Jenson Motor Center. He said there is plenty of inventory and "we're restocking as we speak."
Jenson said from his perspective this New Year's Eve flood was different from the previous two. This time, the water came up from behind the dealership, whereas it historically comes down Soscol Avenue from the Third Street bridge area.
"I hope we don't have to go through this again. It gets tiring and wears on everybody," Jenson said.
Meanwhile over at Napa Nissan, at 510 Soscol Ave., owner Vince Compagno said, "Basically we are just starting to get back into business today ... it's been a little over a week."
Compagno said because the auto dealership has been around so long, it put its flood plan into action in the wee hours of the morning.
"By about 4 a.m., we were moving cars up to the parking lots of Home Deport and Baker's Square Restaurant.
"And our neighbor -- Napa Ford Lincoln Mercury, which is next door sits on higher ground -- they let us use their lot. It's nice to have a good business relationship with your neighbor. We know where to put cars (to keep them dry). It can be a little tough in the darkness," Compagno said, adding, it took about 20 employees to move roughly 200 cars to drier ground.
Napa Nissan lost cars. "At the last count I think it is about 10. Some other dealers have lost more, from what I hear," Compagno said.
Compagno did not find this flood to different from those of previous years.
"The impact was the same for me. At the front of the building there was 3 feet of water and in the back 1 foot of water. (Water) got inside the building," Compagno said.
After the cars were moved to higher ground, Compagno said employees came back to the dealership and began putting computers and file cabinets up off the ground away from the rising water. Valuable tools in the shop were put up on lifts.
Compagno said workers are removing ruined carpet and damaged sheetrock from the walls.
Compagno laments that damage could have been minimal had the city planning department approved a new building he's been trying to get the OK on for the past two years.
Compagno's vision is for a new building to be built higher off the ground to prevent this type of flooding.
Kevin Massie, the owner of Napa Ford Lincoln Mercury, at 300 Soscol Ave., was fortunate to not have suffered flood damage.
"There were no effects to the building (or cars), just to business," Massie said. "We closed the business Saturday so that our people could go out into the community and help out."
Massie said his offer to Compagno applies to all auto dealerships in the area. "They can put cars here until there is no space left. All are welcome. It's such a tragic thing ... to all my peers in the business. We're all friendly competitors."
For Massie this was his first flood as the owner of the Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership.
Kastner Pontiac Olds GMC Honda, at 282 Soscol Ave., avoided being flooded -- narrowly missed flooding, according to sales manager Jim Tschida.
"We were very fortunate. The two owners were here at 4 a.m., moving cars to the high end of the property," Tschida said. "Water came half way up the lot. There was a lot of mud and debris, but none of the cars were damaged."
Tschida had his own harrowing experience of trying to get to work at Kastner's.
"I live up near Lake Berryessa. About a mile from the house the road was blocked by a boulder that was bigger than my car. Everywhere I drove there were landslides and trees all over the place," Tschida said. "There was no way I was going to get here coming down Highway 121."
The circuitous trip took Tschida four hours. "Normally it's a 35 to 40 minute drive. It was treacherous."
But come Monday morning Tschida said it was business as usual at Kastner's auto dealership. "We were very fortunate here."
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