Fire Breaks out at Westside Highway Car Wash, Closed Since Sold in ‘19 for $21.9M
The blaze led to smoke billowing out of the roof of 638 W. 47th St., which is situated on the corner of 12th Ave. No firefighters were injured, and a cause remains under investigation. The building still bears its “Westside Highway Car Wash” signage, a remnant of a 72-year tenure that ended in 2019.
| 08 Nov 2024 | 07:53
The now-closed Westside Highway Car Wash, which still bears its original signage even though it shut down in 2019. On Monday, Nov 4., a fire broke out in the vacant building. (
)
A fire broke out in a building that once housed the iconic Westside Highway Car Wash on the evening of Nov. 4. No first responders or civilians were injured in the blaze at 638 W. 47th St. and 12th Ave., and a cause remains under investigation.
Until its closure six years ago, it was a favorite of early-morning taxicab drivers and late-night limo drivers due to its early-bird special An Aug 26, 2012 story on the carwash in the The New York Times quoted limo driver Ed Haddad, who said he rolled by every day because he wanted his customers to be able to see their reflection in the hood of his limo. He said that if customers can’t see their reflection, they “might not say it to your face,” but they’ll notice.
MKF Realty, which develops commercial and residential properties, bought the car wash building for $21.5 million as part of a broader bid to redevelop the area. It appears that whatever plans it had were put on hold by COVID, and they’ve remained stalled since then.
Fading signage on the side of the building, which stretches a full city block on 12th Ave. between 46th and 47th St., still proclaims “BEST CAR WASH IN NEW YORK SINCE 1947.”
Underwest Donuts, which opened under the carwash in 2015, also closed its doors after the sale to the real estate developer.
Two years before its closure, the donut shop drew a rave review from the Untapped New York website. “You can order coffee, tea, or a variety of espresso drinks with your donut as well. Everything is made from scratch and donuts are slightly smaller than your average ones, with flavors ranging from Coco Raspberry to Maple Waffle, Strawberries and Oats, Banana Milk, and even a signature “Carwash” flavor (Vanilla-Lavender),” the review notes. “Whether or not you need a car wash, Underwest Donuts is a must-visit in Hell’s Kitchen.”
Yet it is one of many memorable and funky sites fast-disappearing from the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.
The fire that broke out on Nov. 4 was called in at around 10:08 p.m by somebody who noticed smoke billowing from the building’s roof. A total of 60 firefighters and EMS workers responded, the FDNY confirmed to Straus News. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.