Aldi to build new store on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington

Aldi has been confirmed as the grocery store that will be built on the site of a former Kmart on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington.

The city’s planning commission approved a land development plan for the project, along with a ModWash car wash, said Tony Males, New Kensington’s engineer and zoning officer.

The approvals were contingent only on developers getting all other necessary permits from Westmoreland County and the state, such as stormwater and erosion control permits, Males said. No further review or approval is needed from the city.

A new, free-standing building in the parking lot between Kmart and First National Bank was not included and will be part of another phase, Males said.

The Kmart in Riverview Plaza closed in January 2019. The building, which Males said was about 90,000 square feet, was demolished last year.

The new Aldi grocery store will be a fraction of the Kmart’s size, shown at just under 21,000 square feet on plans submitted to the city. It will be attached to the rest of the plaza, which was left standing and houses businesses including Staples, Altmeyer’s, Verizon, Quest Diagnostics and Rey Azteca Mexican Restaurant.

Parking spaces will be located within part of the Kmart building’s former footprint.

New Kensington Mayor Tom Guzzo said they are excited Aldi has decided to open in the city.

“They’ll be a great addition to all of the businesses on Tarentum Bridge Road,” Guzzo said. “We’re thrilled that we have been able to fill that important spot this quickly with such an outstanding company.”

Aldi operates a store nearby in Crossroads Plaza on Leechburg Road, just across the city line in Lower Burrell. Built about 15 years ago, its construction was part of a 17,000-square-foot addition to the plaza, part of which was later demolished to make way for a Sheetz at Leechburg and Craigdell roads.

JR Perry, vice president of Aldi’s Saxonburg division, said he did not have any information to share about the new store or the Lower Burrell store.

Males said his understanding is the developer wants to get started quickly, and the new Aldi could be open by year’s end.

For the car wash, in addition to its land development plan, the planning commission also approved a subdivision separating it from the rest of the property as it will be under separate ownership, Males said.

The city’s zoning hearing board in September approved a variance to allow the car wash to be built there. The property is in a C-2 general commercial area where car washes are otherwise not allowed. In September 2020, the zoning hearing board denied a variance for a car wash to be built across Tarentum Bridge Road on property where a Papa John’s pizza shop had been located.

A ModWash representative could not be reached Monday for comment.

Located in Chattanooga, Tenn., ModWash has 36 locations in several states including Pennsylvania, with 177 in development.

It will be the second car wash to be built recently along Tarentum Bridge Road. A Clean Express Auto Wash opened across Tarentum Bridge Road in December.