Chelsea Car Wash

I often worry about the car wash on 10th Avenue and 24th Street. It is the last remnant of "Gasoline Alley," the world that existed before the High Line dramatically changed this part of Chelsea, when it was all blue-collar businesses, largely related to the care and maintenance of automobiles.



They've been there for over 35 or 40 years and are now utterly surrounded by high-rise jillion-dollar glitz.



I take the car wash's picture pretty much every time I walk by. Just in case.

I took a ride through the thing, even though I have no car. I saw a cabbie going in for a wash and hopped in, paying him for the opportunity just to ride through.

Here's the scintillating film footage of that adventure. Enjoy those soapy mitters.



Anyway, a good sign recently appeared on the car wash: "Under New Management."



I'd like to think this bodes well for the future of the place.

"Under new management" presumably means they're not selling out to a luxury developer, and they're going to keep washing cars (and bikes). Hopefully, for many years to come.