Officials of Carvana, the Phoenix-based e-commerce car dealership, announced that they are planning to bring an unusual car-vending machine concept, located in only seven other cities nationwide, to South Fayette.
The entire purchase process takes place online through the company’s website, Carvana.com, where customers can have cars delivered directly to their home, sometimes as early as the next day. Or they can choose the car-vending machine experience, where buyers visit the site, insert a special coin, and watch as an automated system delivers the vehicle by lowering it from a top floor.
“It is by appointment only,” said Chris Santone, Carvana’s director of real estate, at the Jan. 25 planning commission meeting. Unlike other dealerships, customers do not come to the site to browse inventory. “Traffic is minimum,” he said.
The 1.2-acre South Fayette location will house a 1,500 square foot glass-enclosed building that is 71-feet tall at Newbury Market on Presto Sygan Road.
Carvana representatives did not indicate how many levels the building would be, but similar structures in other cities are from five to eight stories in height.
Carvana was established in 2012 and serves 45-markets in the country, including Pittsburgh. Carvana also provides financing online, and consumers can return a vehicle in the first seven days for any reason.
Up to 20 full-time employees will be employed the South Fayette location, officials said.
Preliminary and final site plans were unanimously approved by the township planning commission on Jan. 25. The board of commissioners could approve the plans as early as Feb. 21.
Amy Philips-Haller, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com
First Published: February 1, 2018, 8:46 p.m.
