Demolition was recently completed at two planned Spark Car Wash sites along routes 38 and 70.
The project on Route 38 and Cooper Landing Road will occupy the former Cherry Hill Diner; that closed in 2023 soon after the car wash project was approved. On Route 70 and South Cornell Avenue, the car wash will replace a strip mall that had housed a phone repair shop; massage parlor; and tailoring shop, among others.
At the township planning board meeting in December of 2022, a resident raised concerns about potential noise and light from the Route 70 site. That project was approved by the board with one member, Marlyn Kalitan, voting no. There were more resident complaints at the January 2023 board meeting about the Route 38 location relating to noise, lights and traffic.
Isaac Segal – on behalf of the Cherry Valley Civic Association – said at the January meeting that because Cooper Landing Road doesn’t have a turn lane, a car wash could lead to traffic backup onto the road. Another resident, Phillip Brett, expressed a similar concern.
The project’s applicant offered to provide a noise study and comply with lighting regulations. While the car wash project was approved, two planning board members, Sheila Griffith and Ann Madden Tufano, voted no.
According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, SHJ Development originally purchased the Route 38 site for $2.2 million and the Route 70 site for $2.1 million. In May, both sites were bought by CW Cooper Landing LLC, $2.5 million for Route 38 and $2.6 million for Route 70.
Township Business Administrator Brian Bauerle said the assignment of approvals was transferred to CW Cooper and no further action is necessary from the planning board. He acknowledged that the township has yet to find out a firm date for the projects’ completion.
David Francis – whose company was chosen by Spark Car Wash to demolish buildings on both car wash sites – said they are planned to open around February or March of next year. But Kaitlin Marinelli, a marketing manager at Sparks, gave a date of November and December of this year.
Two other Spark car washes are under construction, one in Burlington County. It was expected to be finished at the end of this month.
Demolition that was underway at the proposed Spark Car Wash along Route 38.
