Most drivers likely are seeing more options to clean their vehicles.
In Jacksonville, several companies, including Gate Petroleum Co. and Scrubbles, are building new tunnel car washes.
A new player is on the way.
The city is reviewing building permit applications and civil engineering plans for the On The Move automated car wash facility at the site of a closed gas station at 8405 Beach Blvd.
The owner is 8405 Express Wash LLC of Coconut Creek, led by Jay Seewald, who has car washes and gas station around the state.
It paid $575,000 for the 1.12-acre property Dec. 7.
The city issued a demolition permit Aug. 19 for the property and is reviewing five applications for construction of the facility, canopies and other elements at a cost of $2.7 million.
The developer is Car Wash Pro Designers of Chicago. Terra Consulting Group Ltd. of Park Ridge, Illinois, is the civil engineer.
Plans filed with the city show a 4,983-square-foot building with drive aisles, payment area and vacuum stalls with canopies.
Car Wash Pro Designers of Chicago is developing the On The Move car wash.
“On The Move Luxury Auto Spa is a state of the art facility, with all the new industry tech and equipment,” said developer and lead designer Nick Spallone in an email.
He said On The Move President Seewald “decided to make his dream car wash a reality,” and chose Car Wash Pro Designers “to bring that dream to life.”
“Mr. Seewald wanted a design like no other in the industry to house the top equipment and tech from MacNeil, Vacutech, TSS Signage and Light Shows, with DRB to name a few,” Spallone said in the email.
He said Seewald asked him and his firm of designers, architects, engineers and industry experts “to not only design the wash to produce the cleanest result possible, but to make it an experience like no other.”
He said Seewald “spared no expense in the journey with On The Move Luxury Express Car Wash, and felt the best place to call it home was in Jacksonville Florida.”
Spallone said the wash will send vehicles through its tunnel on belts vs. a track, use foam brushes vs. fabric, “with cutting-edge, biodegradable and eco-friendly wash products that will gently lather and remove dirt and grime from any vehicle leaving it with a dry and lasting shine.”
There are free vacuums, with free air tools to blow out from in-between and under seats, cracks and crevices, with free mat cleaners and more.
The facility will be fitted with light shows in the tunnel, and offer monthly unlimited plans, or single wash packages as low as $5.
CStoreDecisions.com reported Oct. 29, 2021, that the U.S. car wash service market size is predicted to climb to $20.74 billion by 2028 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 4.8% from 2021-28, citing the “U.S. Car Wash Service Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Type, and Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028.”
JBSIndustries.com reported Feb. 5, 2021, that customers are keeping their cars on the road longer. In 2002, the average vehicle on the road was 9.6 years old. In 2020, that jumped to 11.9 years. It said that when caring for older cars, consumers are turning to professional services for their speed, convenience and water efficiency.
It said consumers also have more spending money, and modern car washes give them more payment options through membership packages.
The site said that in general, more people are choosing professional washes over at-home services. The International Carwash Association has tracked a consistent decline in consumers washing their vehicles at home.
In 1996, 52.4% of consumers preferred home washes, while in 2014, that fell to 28.4%. The percentage who favored a professional facility grew from 47.6% to 71.6%.
In 2019, that percentage grew even larger to about 77%, the site said.
Among other new area car wash projects:
• Camel Premium Express Car Wash is working on plans to build on 1.44 acres at 5109 University Blvd. W. Magnolia Wash Holdings of Morrisville, North Carolina, is the developer. The site is a former RaceTrac gas station and convenience store.
• Scrubbles Oakleaf Plantation LLC paid $2 million for vacant property Dec. 1 along Oakleaf Plantation Parkway in Orange Park.
• Scrubbles also wants to build on 1.06 acres at 7780 Blanding Blvd. in Jacksonville.
• Mr. Clean Car Wash plans two area facilities. One is on an acre at U.S. 1 and Regalo Road in St. Augustine in St. Johns County. Another is on almost an acre at Blanding Boulevard and Ridgecrest Avenue in Orange Park in Clay County.
• Gate Express Carwashes are planned along Baymeadows Road East; Town Center Parkway; Gate Parkway and Burnt Mill Road; in Yulee in Nassau County; and in Parkway Village in St. Johns County.
