$900K car wash proposed for Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington

A car wash has been proposed to replace a building housing a pizza shop and cellphone store on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington.

For that to happen, the proposed project will need a variance from the city’s zoning, which does not allow a car wash at that location, said Tony Males, the city’s zoning officer and engineer.

The city’s Zoning Hearing Board is scheduled to hold a hearing on the request at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at city hall, 301 11th St.

Males said the Hutton Group, which developed the nearby O’Reilly Auto Parts store, is seeking to build the car wash at 215 Tarentum Bridge Road.

Joe Uhler, director of real estate with Hutton, could not be reached for comment.

The existing building, originally a Burger King, would be torn down. It currently houses a Papa John’s pizza shop and a Cricket cellphone store.

Owners of those businesses could not be reached for comment about their plans.

Males said the proposed development would be an automatic car wash that would include vacuum stations. The property would include stacking lanes for cars and a parking area for drying. Car cleaning accessories would be available for sale.

Access to the site would be only through the road now between the existing building and the nearby Denny’s restaurant. Another access apron would be removed.

In its application to the city, the developer values the project at $900,000.

The area is zoned C2 general commercial, Males said. Car washes are not a permitted or conditional use there. They are allowed in industrially zoned areas.

Males said the developer is trying to fast-track the project and wants to get it built as soon as possible. If the Zoning Hearing Board approves the variance, the developer has already asked to be on the planning commission’s agenda for its Sept. 8 meeting.

If the variance is given, the final approval rests with the planning commission. Males said the commission will consider its site development plan, and issues such as lighting, landscaping and parking.