PITTSFIELD — A Pittsfield car wash will get a fresh new look as part of a $1 million renovation and expansion project.
The owners of Patriot Car Wash at 101-103 Elm St. in Pittsfield have received a special permit to make major changes to the facility, including 600-square-foot expansions of its manual and automatic car wash bays and the construction of a canopy to shield patrons from the elements as they visit the business, which also is also a laundromat.
The buildings will be expanded to accommodate new equipment; there will be additional service bays. The new equipment is expected to reduce energy consumption and improve the customer experience.
The business will also uproot 11 vacuums around the site and consolidate them on the south side of the property, using plants and the barrier created by the buildings to mitigate noise. As it stands now, the vacuums are currently spread out around the property and generate more noise.
Before issuing the permit, members of the Zoning Board of Appeals last week sought to determine whether the changes would be substantially detrimental to the neighborhood and conform with zoning requirements.
One neighbor, John Ricci, told the board that he was not opposed to the project, although he was concerned about whether the new equipment would be louder than before. He’s lived near the property for the last 36 years.
David Comalli, owner of the car wash, said management has already reached out to address Ricci’s concerns.
The zoning board granted the permit, which gives the owner a two-year window in which to complete the improvements.
Comalli said the numerous improvements would help to keep the car wash current and improve the experience of the customers. He emphasized the need to replace the vacuums and get new equipment into the business.
“In the car wash world, equipment gets old fast,” Comalli said.