Suburban Hamilton County is getting a new Tesla showroom and service center. Construction is currently underway at the Austin-based electric vehicle manufacturer’s new showroom and maintenance facility in Columbia Township. Public records show Tesla is converting a vacant big-box store, formerly a Burlington Coat Factory and Payless Shoe Source, at 5245 Ridge Avenue. As of Tuesday, substantial work appears to have been completed on the building’s exterior renovations, however, the parking lot still needs paving. The Hamilton County Rural Zoning Commission, which administers and enforces zoning in four townships, approved a planned-unit development request for the project during a meeting in October. County records list Chip Wallace, of Tennessee-based Saorsa Architecture, as being signed on the project with the property owner, MRSLV Cincinnati LTD, a holding company for the Pittsburgh-based Kamin Realty. Hamilton County Audtior’s records show the property owner bought the retail center for more than $5 million in 1997. Wallace told the zoning commission that there will be vehicle charging stations on the property for the service center. Columbia Township Administrator Melissa Taylor has yet to respond to phone calls from The Enquirer seeking comment. Township officials previously expressed their support for the project and said the showroom is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with an opening in early 2025. Tesla operates a showroom and service center in Blue Ash at 9111 Blue Ash Road. The company’s sales model differs from other automakers because it sells directly to consumers online, not at dealerships. The Enquirer reached out to Tesla on Tuesday seeking comment on whether the new facility will impact operations at the Blue Ash location.