BMW of Manhattan is creating two new sustainable dealerships. A new stand-alone Mini of Manhattan showroom will open at the end of this year beside the pre-owned car facility on 56th Street and 11th Avenue. By the end of 2012, the main dealership on 555 W. 57th St. will be have been remodeled and it will become a BMWi Center selling BMW’s new electric vehicles, the i3 and i8, when they arrive in 2013. It will also continue to sell and service automobiles, sport activity vehicles and BMW motorcycles.

Both new buildings will feature a full complement of electric vehicle charging stations and be capable of handling all customer and service needs of alternative-power vehicles, including hybrids and full-electric vehicles.Green technology will include specially designed louvers on the exterior to reduce heat while maximizing daylight; installation of solar panels on the roof of the Mini building; high-efficiency fluorescent, metal halide and LED light fixtures; low-flow plumbing fixtures and regionally sourced materials that have a substantial recycled material content. Waste recycling practices will be implemented during and after construction.

At the end of March, BMW announced the formation of BMWi Ventures. This subsidiary will focus on premium mobility services — meaning that it will also look for solutions unrelated to automobiles. The company’s first investment was in MyCityWay, a set of location-based apps for urban navigation that provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability and local entertainment.