BREWER – The city’s planning board unanimously approved expansion plans Monday for Down East Toyota to increase the size of its service center and service writing bays.

“They’re looking for a new service center addition in back of what they have,” contractor Bob Verrill, from Verrill Construction of Bangor, told the board.

The expansion will add 10,400 square feet to the existing service center and an additional 2,800 square feet for two new service writing bays, which will bring the total to four.

Verrill’s company constructed the current Down East Toyota buildings on the outer Wilson Street business campus, and he estimates the new additions will cost approximately $800,000.

Once the construction is complete, at least 12 new jobs will be added, Verrill said.

“The 10,400-square-foot building will generate eight places for mechanics and the writing bays will hold two more writers, and they’re estimating they’ll put two more in parts,” he said. “A few years down the road we’re going to have 26 [additional] employees.”

The service writing bays will take up 1,400 square feet, and the rest of the 2,800-square-foot addition will be used to double the size of an employee area.

“We’re going to expand the gymnasium for the employees,” Verrill said.

The construction, which Verrill expects to begin in March, also will include a sprinkler system and two bathrooms.

The planning board unanimously approved the expansion site plans with two waivers and eight minor conditions.