Construction has begun on a project at Land Rover Cape Fear, which will soon add Jaguar to its dealership off Old Eastwood Road.

The plans follow suit with an industry-wide initiative by Jaguar Land Rover to form dual dealerships and provide a uniform look in the building designs across markets, according to Kevin Duffy, general manager of Land Rover Cape Fear, which will eventually rebrand its name to Jaguar Land Rover Cape Fear.

The groundbreaking for the project -- estimated to cost about $4.2 million -- took place Oct. 24. The two-phase construction project at the dealership, located at 20 Old Eastwood Road, will take about a year to complete, Duffy said.

The project involves a remodeling and expansion of the existing 5,000 square-foot building on the lot. The work will add 15,000 square feet of space to the building for a total of 20,000 square feet, which will include a larger showroom and additional office space.

The project also includes a new shop and parts department areas, as well as an extension of its four-bay service shop to 10 bays, Duff said.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a challenge during construction, but it will be worth it when it’s all done,” Duffy said of the ongoing work. “We’re looking forward to bringing the Jaguar brand to Wilmington and are excited to meet some new customers.”

The original dealership was built in 2001. With the addition of the Jaguar line and expansion of its space in Wilmington, Duffy said the location could add between three and five additional employees initially.

Aj Aliah, owner of Land Rover Cape Fear, is also the owner of Audi Cape Fear at 255 Old Eastwood Road.