Those who paid close attention will remember that back in April of 2019 a car
wash was proposed for the old Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant site. This was
one of those issues that the board was divided on. In fact, the board
voted multiple times before finally deciding to deny the developers
application.
The developer then sued the city and it has been in court ever since.
Since that time, the company has continued to grow and has built car washes in
Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, and have a site under construction in Rock Hill.
Although their lawsuit against Crestwood had not yet been resolved, both
parties worked in good faith towards a settlement agreement. That
agreement was approved by the Board of Alderman, and as such an ordinance
allowing the car wash was discussed and approved at the July 28 Board of
Alderman meeting.
Opposition has been mostly based on feelings that this location just isn't the
right place for a car wash and thus doesn't comply with the city's
Comprehensive Plan. To address those concerns, the developer agreed to modify the original site plan.
Modifications include changes to the north facade (facing Watson) to be a more neutral color (similar to the Chesterfield site pictured above). Other changes include additional street trees, modification of tree species, and better looking trash cans at each of the vacuum stations.
The developer also agreed to reimburse the city for the legal fees and city staff time incurred as a result of the lawsuit.
The car wash is scheduled to be operational by January 2021. For more information about this company, visit their website (www.briteworx.com).