Automated car wash proposed near Randhurst Village in Mount Prospect

Mount Prospect trustees on Tuesday are expected to vote on a proposal to build a car wash across from the Randhurst Village shopping center.

El Car Wash Mid-West, LLC’s proposal previously received a positive recommendation from the village’s planning and zoning commission, despite one resident raising concerns about accidents in the area and a competing car wash’s worry about the new business’ impact.

The property at 1 E. Rand Road, near Kensington and Rand roads, currently holds a vacant 20,880-square-foot commercial building formerly housing CVS, O’Reilly’s, Murray’s Auto Parts and Subway.

Under the plan, the building would be demolished and El Car Wash would be built in its place.

The new development would include a 140-foot-long automated car wash tunnel, an attached building with interior vacuums, an exterior parking lot with additional vacuum stations, two drive-through pay stations and an underground stormwater detention facility.

Mount Prospect Senior Development Planner Ann Choi said the developer would implement several noise mitigation measures, including 30-horsepower ultra quiet dryers and an eight-foot-tall sound barrier along the south property line.

Concerns were raised about traffic accidents around the frequently congested intersection.

“Plenty of car accidents happen weekly, daily, on a regular basis, due to so much traffic coming northbound and southbound on Main Street,” resident Natalie Mason told the planning and zoning commission.

Noting the number of students from nearby Prospect High School walking in the area, she also expressed concern about pedestrians getting hit.

Whit Grossman, general manager of the Everclean Car Wash at 300 E. Rand Road, said allowing the proposal would adversely affect on the business.

“We feel that it would just be a direct impact on not only the existing investment we have, as well as the jobs,” she said.

szalusky@dailyherald.com